Armed forces to set up testing facility in Lothians this week

Key workers and their families could get tested at the site.

The armed forces will set up a testing facility in the Lothians this week, according to Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council.

A post on the council’s official Facebook page told followers that it had been informed by the 51st Infantry Brigade that it would be establishing a mobile testing unit (MTU) in Cockenzie, East Lothian, on Saturday, May 16.

According to the council, the MTU will test people at the site until Monday, May 18, before returning on Sunday, May 30, until Monday, June 1.

The armed forces will set up a testing facility in the Lothians this week, according to Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council.

The news comes as the Scottish government looks to boost its testing capacity for Covid-19.

Scotland’s current testing programme involves several drive-through sites - at Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen airports, as well as at the Highlands and Islands University campuses in Inverness and Perth.

The MTUs make up a second part of the testing programme, visiting towns and islands across Scotland for short periods of time.

Testing at the MTU will be prioritised for the following groups:

all symptomatic key workers and symptomatic members of their household over 5 years of age all symptomatic other workers who cannot work from home and symptomatic members of their household over 5 years of age all symptomatic over 65s and symptomatic members of their household over 5 years of age

The Scottish government now includes volunteers in third or public sector organisations in its definition of key workers.

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