NICOLA Sturgeon has said she is concerned that a rise in demand for covid tests in England could “impact on Scotland’s access to testing”.
The First Minister was speaking yesterday as she set out stricter new limits on gatherings in a bid to tackle rising coronavirus cases in Scotland.
The SNP leader was asked about the country’s testing strategy during Thursday's First Minister’s Questions.
Labour leader Richard Leonard said the government was falling far short of its target to have a daily capacity of 65,000.
On Tuesday, just 14,341 tests were carried out.
The First Minister said that as a large part of Scotland’s testing system is part of a United Kingdom-wide network, including the Glasgow Lighthouse lab and drive-through centres, “capacity and access to testing are managed across the UK.”
She added: “We are working with the UK to ensure that Scotland’s access to capacity is appropriate and fair, and during the past few weeks we have probably used more than our population’s share.
“That is partly because of the rise in demand as our schools went back; we have seen that demand recede a little bit.
“Although there will be issues—there have been some issues about turnaround time with postal tests, for example—over the past few days we have not seen issues with access to testing for people who need it or, as was the case when the schools went back, with people being referred to testing centres that are some distance away.
“We have seen—and this will be a reflection of England’s schools going back—a rise in demand in England that reflected ours when our schools went back.
“I do not want to overstate this, but I have some concern that rises in demand in England might impact on Scotland’s access to testing. That is why we continue to work closely with the UK Government on that.”
The First Minister said the government was still aiming for the target of 65,000 daily tests.
Sturgeon was also asked about comments made by Professor Linda Bauld, from the University of Edinburgh, who said she is "very, very, very concerned about the next few months and potential unrest".
Prof Bauld told the Covid-19 Committee's evidence session that global pandemics are historically followed by a public backlash.
The academic said that while Scots have expressed high levels of support for the coronavirus measures, this was now decline.
"I am very, very, very concerned about the next few months and potential unrest," she said.
"We're seeing it globally around the world, groups that are spreading misinformation but also just gathering - as we have already seen in Scotland - to express distaste or distrust in the messaging and in the guidance that has been given.
"I think that we're going to have to be very careful to keep on top of that because history shows that following pandemics - and there is research on this - there is social unrest and we need to be conversant about that."
Responding to a question by Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie, Sturgeon said she has a "duty" to explain and clearly communicate the reasoning for the restrictions in place aimed at reducing the spread of coronavirus.
"All of us as elected politicians should see it as part of our duty to avoid social unrest and take the responsibility to explain and encourage the public to do the right things," she said.
"As we go further through this pandemic, it gets harder for the public to follow all of this advice.
"It gets harder for all of us - I think every single one of us can identify with this."
The First Minister added: "Therefore the duty on all of us as politicians - principally me and I accept that - is to explain as clearly as possible, why we're asking people to do certain things and what the reasons for that is."
Sturgeon also stressed the need for enforcement of the restrictions "so people who are flagrantly breaching the law have consequences".
She added: "We're not putting these restrictions on anybody for no reason, it is for a good reason.
"As we get further into this, the messages inevitably become more complex and people get more fatigued, which is why it's more important than ever that we continue to patiently and fully explain the reasons why all of this remains vital."
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