The Scottish NHS has “reached and exceeded” its coronavirus testing capacity target, said First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Testing capacity in Scotland currently stands at 4,350, beating the end of April target of 3,500, Ms Sturgeon announced during Friday’s press briefing.
With UK Government tests in Scotland added – thanks to the University of Glasgow’s new Lighthouse Lab carrying out 4,000 tests a day – the true capacity of testing is now currently 8,350.
The announcement comes after it was reported on Friday morning that it was “probable” the UK Government had not reached its testing target of 100,000 by the end of April.
The First Minister outlined Scotland’s new targets for testing, with hopes that capacity will rise to 10,500 by the end of next week, and to 12,000 by the middle of May.
Before the outbreak, NHS Scotland’s testing capacity was only 350.
Scotland’s testing capacity
- Currently 4,350 per day in NHS labs, with additional 4,000 at Glasgow Lighthouse (Total 8,350)
- Plans to expand to 6,500 NHS tests per day by end of next week, with additional 4,000 at Glasgow Lighthouse (Total 10,500)
- Target of 8,000 per day by mid-may, with additional 4,000 at Glasgow Lighthouse (Total 12,000)
Ms Sturgeon said that increasing capacity was not about “chasing numbers”, adding that it was important to increase the number of tests actually carried out.
She said there were 4,661 tests carried out across the country on Thursday, including 2,124 tests at the regional drive-through centres across Scotland.
So far, 22,400 key workers or family members have been tested by the NHS, Ms Sturgeon added.
The Scottish Government is now working to “extend categories” and ramp up testing.
This includes an “advanced outbreak investigation” at the Scottish care homes reporting cases of the virus, involving testing of all residents and staff regardless if they are showing symptoms.
There will also be sample testing done in homes where no cases have been reported, Ms Sturgeon said.
These changes, which will be overseen by NHS Louisa Jordan chief executive Jill Young, will be put in place “as swiftly as practicable”.
The UK-wide testing scheme, delivered through the regional drive-through centres across Scotland, will also be expanded.
The First Minister said everyone over the age of 65 with symptoms, and their households, will be able to book a test at one of these centres. People who have to leave their homes to go to work will also be eligible for testing.
She said: “This expansion of testing that I set out today is separate and distinct from our move to establish a test, trace, isolate system as part of our approach to changing and hopefully alleviating the lockdown measures.”
More on the test, trace, isolate strategy will be announced next week, Ms Sturgeon said.
A total of 11,654 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, with 74,984 total NHS tests being carried out since the start of the outbreak.
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