Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 17 March 2021
I thank Donald Cameron for raising those questions. He asked about community testing and why we have not been able to roll that out sooner. We had the first pilot for community testing last December. Of course, like any such projects that we undertake, it was really important that we evaluated the lessons to see what we could replicate as quickly as possible.
A really important aspect of our targeted community testing is the fact that we have done it in conjunction with health boards and local authorities. As I said in my statement, we have managed to roll out community testing to 28 local authority areas, which is no mean feat, given that we are only into March.
The engagement has been really important in making sure that we are testing in the right places and where that is most appropriate for local circumstances. I hope that the member recognises those points and accepts them.
In his second question, about the utilisation of capacity, the member makes an important point. As I outlined in my statement, we have seen a huge increase in our capacity, including in relation to our PCR testing and lateral flow devices. The strategy document that we have released today is vital in that respect, because it outlines how we intend to use that capacity. I also highlight the importance of retaining an element of that capacity, especially in the next few stages as we ease out of lockdown. Should there be other outbreaks for which we need to utilise that testing resource, it is important that we have that capacity. We have set out today in our plan how we intend to utilise the capacity.