People in East Kilbride will be able to get tested for coronavirus from Monday.
That’s after the Scottish Government and health board announced a mobile testing unit would be operational in the Stewartfield area.
Residents in East Kilbride with or without symptoms will be able to head along to the unit at the Holiday Inn car park on Stewartfield Way from March 15.
And those wishing to get tested do not need an appointment – you can just head along between 9.30am and 5.30pm every day.
Dr Jackie Hyland from NHS Lanarkshire told the News: “COVID-19 can be spread by people who don’t have symptoms or the symptoms are so mild people may not recognise that they have the infection.
“For the benefit of yourself and your community, I would encourage as many people as possible to get a test.
“The test results will help to detect the virus and limit its spread.”
The community testing initiative aims to drive down local COVID-19 rates and transmission by identifying positive cases more quickly.
All residents are encouraged to get tested, whether or not they have any of the three main COVID symptoms – a new and continuous cough, temperature, loss or change in sense of taste or smell.
Public health minister Mairi Gougeon added: “Targeted testing in this way will help us find and isolate more cases, by targeting resources with communities where there is high prevalence, helping us to identify more cases of the virus and giving us all a better chance of stopping it from spreading.
“However, a test only tells us if we are positive at the point in time that we are being tested. It does not mean that we can stop following all of the rules and guidelines which are in place to protect all of us.”
People are also being encouraged to continue to follow the national FACTS guidance:
• F – face covering
• A – avoid crowded places
• C – clean hands and surfaces regularly
• T – two metres distance from other people
• S – self-isolate and book a test if you have covid-19 symptoms (new continuous cough, fever or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste)
