Covid-19 mobile clinic Testalot to be in Golspie from tomorrow for three days
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Rapid COVID-19 community testing will be available in Golspie from tomorrow (Wednesday, August 25) until Friday.
The move comes after East Sutherland recorded the second highest number of positive Covid-19 cases in Highlands per 100,000 population for the seven day period from August 8-15.
However NHS Highland said: "The deployment to Golspie is not due to any particular outbreak, but is there to provide further access to testing in an area that has not previously been visited by a mobile Covid clinic."
The mobile testing unit Testalot will be available for drop-in Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing for anyone without symptoms. It is manned by staff and volunteers who can assist in administering the test.
The clinic will be parked up at the Fountain Road car park and will operate from 11am to 4pm tomorrow; from 9am to 4pm on Thursday; and from 9am to 3pm on Friday.
No appointment is necessary to receive an LFD test. When you arrive at the mobile testing unit, you will first be asked to wait outside, before being registered and entering.
You will then be escorted to a testing booth. Guidance will be given on how to take the test, and there is no need to wait on site to receive your result.
Those who attend the clinic will have the opportunity to enter a free monthly draw to win an Amazon Kindle e-reader (10th generation, with 6” backlit display) after completing an exit survey.
The winner will be drawn by random at the end of the month.
The process of registration and testing takes approximately 10 minutes, and results are usually sent within an hour, though may occasionally take up to 24 hours.
Results will be sent by text and/or email to those attending, so there is no need to stay on site. Guidance is provided on what to do if a test is negative, positive or unclear.
An NHS Highland spokesman said: "By taking a rapid LFD test twice a week, we can help our community, families and friends stay safe and slow down the spread of coronavirus. Tracking down cases of the virus earlier will limit the spread of new variants.
"If you have been vaccinated, you should still consider getting tested. While vaccines reduce the risk of infection after 14-21 days, people who have been vaccinated could still become infected. No vaccine provides 100 per cent. protection against a virus."
The mobile testing unit will also be operating an LFD Collect service, which makes packs of seven testing kits available for free to the public, to be taken away and used at home.
If you do visit a mobile clinic, it is advised to take a test on site, to familiarise yourself with the process, before taking a pack home.
Free LFD tests for people without COVID-19 symptoms are also available to collect from pharmacies in packs of seven, and can be sent to your home by visiting nhsinform.scot/testing, or by calling 119.
Highland Council convener Bill Lobban said: “In Highland we now have three mobile testing units available to travel to identified locations with a team of trained staff to deliver testing for people without symptoms.
"Our mobile units can be deployed wherever needed. If mobile units come to your area we encourage you to make use of the testing facilities as this will enable quick detection of any localised cases of COVID-19.
"It also offers reassurance for anyone concerned about potentially being an asymptomatic carrier of the virus.”
Dr Tim Allison, Director of Public Health with NHS Highland, said: “Many people who have coronavirus have no symptoms, and will be spreading it without realising.
"By expanding community testing we will be able to identify more cases giving us a better chance of stopping COVID-19 from spreading.
