MP calls for pilot of widespread virus testing in the Islands

This could mean 5-10% of the population being tested.

Mr MacNeil has also contacted NHS Western Isles about the policy to enquire about assisting in contact tracing and Police Scotland, who showed willingness to assist the health authorities, if such a policy change were piloted on the islands.

Commenting Mr MacNeil said: “On 18th March I said that, ‘The Government should be testing more, if the UK was testing to the level of Iceland or the Faroe Islands, we would have a better picture of what is going on and we would probably be more aware of where the clusters of Coronavirus are now. Unfortunately, the UK is doing a lot of this blindfolded, against World Health Organisation advice and Scotland is caught in that web too.’

“Over a month later we are in much the same situation.

“My opinion on testing remains the same, we need to test more. It is quite amazing, if not shocking, that we have people in the islands who tested positive for Covid-19 yet their spouses and other members of their household have not been tested.

“Thankfully in the islands we have few Covid-19 cases, although it is hard to be certain that we have such few cases given the lack of testing.

“Surely, it is time to drop the fatal two-step which Scotland has been engaged in with Whitehall, and start our own policy, trialled here in the islands, for increased testing.

“We have got spare testing capacity in Scotland, 40% of the testing capacity is unused, therefore it would seem wise that while island numbers are low we should keep them low by the contact tracing, testing and tracking, so well employed in some other countries.

“I hope the First Minister and the Health Secretary will respond to this favourably. Time is always of the essence, testing capacity in the islands should be increasing although it is already two weeks delayed.

“We could then change policy and not wait for the virus to turn up but we seek out the virus, as in other countries.

“Such a policy change could start now in the islands. Then we might be able to move on and do what the Faroese did yesterday (Monday) which was to remove their internal lockdown while still keeping the islands externally locked down.

“For now, we remain in lockdown and it is difficult to change that, until we have increased testing, to give us a better picture of Covid-19 in the Hebrides.”