Glenrothes MSP welcomes Covid testing centre
Published date : 21 Jan 2021
Glenrothes MSP, Jenny Gilruth, has welcomed the launch of a new walk through Covid testing site in Glenrothes. The walk through testing centre is located at the Glenrothes Miners Charitable Society (CISWO) in Glenrothes.
On 28 August last year, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced plans to create 22 walk through test centres across the country. These 22 sites were established on 17 December and more are due to open in the coming weeks. Each local test site has a minimum daily capacity of 300 tests.
Commenting on the launch of the walk through testing centre, Jenny Gilruth MSP said:
“Containing and suppressing this virus relies on testing being accessible to everyone. The walk through testing centre in Glenrothes becomes the twenty-sixth site across Scotland and will further increase our testing capacity ahead of potential spikes as we move through winter.
“The CISWO got in touch with my office to express their interest in becoming a walk through testing centre in October last year and I was able to make representations on their behalf to Fife Council to ensure this offer was explored by Public Health Scotland.
“We’re at a critical point in the pandemic so it’s welcome news that the CISWO’s facilities can be used to help the Scottish Government manage its response in the weeks and months ahead. I’m grateful to all of my constituents for sticking to the rules and staying at home as much as possible to protect the NHS and save lives.”
Scottish Government Minister of Public Health and Sport, Mairi Gougeon, added:
“Centres like this can be operational in a matter of days, and we are working at pace with NHS National Services Scotland and local authorities to roll out more across the country so that more people have access to local testing.
“We will continue to adapt our testing strategy in line with the different stages of the pandemic. However, testing is only one effective intervention that we are using to manage the virus and it remains vital that people continue to follow physical distancing advice and practise good hand and cough hygiene not just for their own safety but in order to protect others.”
Background
The Glenrothes walk through testing centre is at Glenrothes Miners Charitable Society in Glenrothes (KY7 5NL). It brings the total number of centres in Scotland to 27, with three sites in Edinburgh as well as sites in St Andrews, Aberdeen, West Dunbartonshire, Cumbernauld, Stirling, Dundee, Inverclyde, Inverness, Arbroath, Elgin, East Kilbride, Hamilton, Kilmarnock, Oban, Wick, Galashiels, Dumfries, Paisley, Dunfermline, Glenrothes and four in Glasgow. Each local test site has a minimum daily capacity of 300 tests.
People with any of the following symptoms should book a test at nhsinform.scot/test-and-protect or call 0800 028 2816 if they are unable to access the online service: a high temperature or fever, a new continuous cough, a loss of, or change in sense of smell or taste.
The walk through testing sites are part of the UK Government’s testing programme and are in addition to the Regional Test Centres, Mobile Testing Units and Home Test kit provision. The Scottish Government is responsible for the location of test sites in Scotland and is working with local partners to meet the needs of local communities.
Constituents who need Jenny’s help or advice on coronavirus or any other issue can get in touch by email to Jenny.Gilruth.msp@parliament.scot or by calling Jenny’s constituency office on 01592 764815.
Local Reporters, HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE, COMMUNITY
