Landmark week in fight against Covid

Lateral flow device (LFD) home test kits are now being made available to everyone in Scotland.

Anyone who does not have Covid-19 symptoms can order one for delivery to their home or pick it up from the local walk-through test site at Langlee Community Centre in Marigold Drive, Galashiels, between 3.30pm and 8pm.

Director of Public Health, Dr Tim Patterson, said: “This has been a landmark week for Covid-19 testing with lateral flow device (LFD) home test kits being made available to everyone in Scotland.

"Testing helps to find cases that would otherwise go undetected, break chains of transmission and limit the spread of Covid.

“If you feel well and do not have any Covid-19 symptoms, but are not already receiving regular Covid-19 testing through another route, such as your workplace or school, we would strongly encourage you to take advantage of either this new universal LFD testing offer, or our community testing programme.

“Although Covid-19 rates in the Borders remain low, this virus is still very dangerous and the more that restrictions ease, the more likely you are to come into contact with other people, some of whom may unknowingly carry the virus.

"So please get tested regularly, continue to stick to the rules and remember the FACTS:

· Face coverings in enclosed spaces

· Avoid crowded places

· Clean hands and surfaces regularly

· Two metre distancing; and

· Self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms.”

The virus has not gone away … in the seven-day period from April 20 to 26, there were three new cases reported in the Borders.

To keep cases low, experts say the best plan is to keep testing people with no symptoms.

In the next couple of weeks, community testing is being offered at local fire stations.

The dates are as follows – Jedburgh and Peebles: April 29 and 30; Lauder and Selkirk: May 1 and 3; Hawick and Coldstream: May 4 and 5; Duns and Galashiels (at the Queen's Leisure Centre): May 6 and 7; Eyemouth and Innerleithen: May 8 and 10; Newcastleton and West Linton: May 11 and 12; Kelsoe and Peebles: May 13 and 14; Jedburgh and Selkirk: May 15.