NHS Highland is opening two new mobile testing units in the north next week to encourage people to get tested.
Working in collaboration with Highland Council, the health board will open new testing units in Inverness and Fort William.
The aim is to help communities to feel more confident in using lateral flow tests themselves.
Testing will be available to anyone who is not showing symptoms of coronavirus regardless of their vaccination status.
To encourage people to get tested, an extra incentive has also been introduced.
Anyone who gets tested in the region will now be offered the opportunity to enter into a prize draw to win an e-reader.
When can I get tested?
The Moves Like Jagger mobile testing unit will be in B&M car park in the Telford Retail Park in Inverness for five days:
Monday October 4 9am-4pm
Tuesday October 5 9am-4pm
Wednesday October 6 9am-4pm
Thursday October 7 9am-4pm
Friday October 8 9am-3pm
The Testalot unit will open in Middle Street Car Park in Fort William on the same days, but at different times:
Monday October 4 12noon-4pm
Tuesday October 5 9am-4pm
Wednesday October 6 9am-4pm
Thursday October 7 9am-4pm
Friday October 8 9am-1pm
Convener of Highland Council, Bill Lobban, encouraged people to make use of the mobile testing units.
He 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.”
What will happen when I go and get tested?
There is no need to make an appointment prior to visiting a mobile testing unit.
When you arrive at the test site, you will be registered and then taken to a testing booth. You will then be guided through the process of taking a lateral flow test.
The process should not take more than 10 minutes and results are usually sent to you within the hour, though in some cases it can take up to 24 hours.
If your result is positive, you will then have to take a PCR test for confirmation.
The public are being encouraged to take a lateral flow test twice per week to try and stop the spread of the virus.
Though the vaccine can help to slow the spread, it will not leave you entirely immune, so it is still important to get tested.
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.
“Testing for those without symptoms, asymptomatic testing, will help us to identify those who are positive but do not have symptoms. We can then advise them to self-isolate and therefore prevent spread.
“Anyone that tests positive with an LFD needs to get a confirmatory PCR test. More testing helps to show us how the virus is spread and will help us reduce risk.”
If entering any high risk venues or events, you will now be asked to show proof of vaccination status.
A new app launched today to help with this, however the technology appears to be struggling with the volume of people trying to use it.