A self-isolating nurse who lives in Glasgow city centre has told of how he has been offered coronavirus tests in Belfast, Carlisle and Inverness.
Staff nurse David Matheson said he recently presented Covid-19-type symptoms and was told by his managers to quarantine at home and book a test.
He told STV News: “The problem I’ve got in Glasgow – I can’t get a test.”
It comes as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon addressed “technical issues” with the online booking portal at Tuesday’s coronavirus briefing following an apparent surge in demand for tests over the weekend.
‘The problem I’ve got in Glasgow – I can’t get a test.’
Staff nurse David Matheson
She said she hoped the issues would be resolved soon, and laid out plans to further beef up Scottish testing capacity with three new mobile test centres to be rolled out in the central belt this week.
Mr Matheson’s first attempt at booking a test early this morning, through the UK-wide booking portal, saw him offered a test in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
He continued: “I phoned the help number who then tried to send me to Carlisle in England.
“I tried to explain to them I was a healthcare professional and I needed to get my test so I know whether to isolate or if I can go back to work.
“And about half an hour before speaking to yourselves today, I got a test in Inverness.”
Mr Matheson concluded: “I’m just a bit concerned – I have the common sense to stay at home and isolate until I can get a test.
“But there will be an awful lot of people who don’t stay at home and will go to work presuming they have a head-cold and not Covid.”
