SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald, has praised pharmacies across the city for helping to rollout rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing kits for people without COVID-19 symptoms.
The expansion which began yesterday (Wednesday 9 June) is aimed at encouraging further uptake of testing among people with no symptoms and finding cases which would otherwise go undetected. This is building on current efforts to improve access to rapid lateral flow devices for people without COVID-19 symptoms, by making it easier for people without access to digital services.
Among the many pharmacies who have voluntarily signed up to participate in the expansion are Colinton Pharmacy, MacKinnon Pharmacy, Lloyds Pharmacy Wester Hailes, Lloyds Pharmacy Calder Road, Gate 55 Sighthill Road, Colinton Mains Pharmacy, Lindsay and Gilmour Chemist Juniper Green, Calder Pharmacy, Oxgangs Pharmacy and Boots Pharmacy Buckstone Terrace.
Commenting, SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said:
This is very welcome news and I am sure will be a source of great help to so many people across the city.
Rapid lateral flow testing is already helping to pick up news case so all efforts to increase LFDs will help even more. This, in turn, helps to identify new outbreaks and put in place mitigating measures to reduce transmission as quickly as possible.
I would like to thank all the community pharmacies across Edinburgh Pentlands, and right across the city, who are participating in this rollout. Community pharmacies have, and continue to, play a key role in supporting Scotland’s public health response to the Covid-19 pandemic by providing access to NHS services close to people’s homes and lives.
