Aberdeenshire Council has announced they will cease Covid mobile testing and the community lateral flow test collection programme in April.
The decision follows the recent announcement that those with no Covid symptoms will no longer be asked to take regular lateral flow tests from Monday, April 18.
The changes form part of the Scottish Government’s Test and Protect Transition Plan.
Until the end of April, people with symptoms will still be asked to isolate and get a PCR test. However, from May onwards, test sites will close and those with symptoms will no longer be advised to book a test.
Face masks will still remain a legal requirement until at least early April. This will be reviewed before the Easter holidays.
Aberdeenshire communities kept ‘vigilant and safe’
Throughout the pandemic, testing sites and kits have been “well received” with 200,000 kits being issued in Aberdeenshire.
Ritchie Johnson, the council’s director of business services, said: “On behalf of Aberdeenshire Council I would like to thank all those staff who have supported community testing – both at the initial Peterhead test centre launched in February last year and laterally on the wider region-wide programme.
“By testing those without symptoms and by encouraging a strong take-up of lateral flow kits, you have ensured Aberdeenshire’s communities remained vigilant and safe.
“And I would also thank all our partners including NHS Grampian, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, local businesses and, of course, all those residents who made every effort to keep both themselves, their families, colleagues and others safe during the pandemic by visiting our centres, taking the tests and collecting kits.”
The Covid mobile testing and community collect programmes in Aberdeenshire will halt on Thursday, April 14.