Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton has today for the Scottish Government to explore using mass testing to enable people to safely visit elderly or vulnerable family members, in order to boost spirits during the lockdown.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

“One of the most difficult kinds of correspondence I get at the moment are from grandparents, desperate to see and to hold their grandkids. The same goes for a range of other meaningful relationships that have been parted by social distancing and shielding.

“Now that we are entering a phase of mass testing, the Government should consider introducing a scheme to allow families to visit vulnerable relatives, or those in other meaningful relationships.

“Such a scheme would involve registration, testing, a period of voluntary isolation and even re-testing to allow such a visit and physical contact to go ahead in safety on confirmation of a negative Covid status. Given there are suggestions that social distancing and some forms of shielding will have to continue for the foreseeable future, such a scheme would offer hope and comfort to so many people who may be starting to struggle.

“The Government have indicated their willingness to explore this as a possibility. They must now make it a reality.”