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| Coronavirus in Scotland: Key worker tests for Scots 'ready to go' | Coronavirus in Scotland: Key worker tests for Scots 'ready to go' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said a new system allowing coronavirus tests for all essential workers and their families is "ready to go live". | First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said a new system allowing coronavirus tests for all essential workers and their families is "ready to go live". |
| On Thursday, the UK government said up to 10 million key workers and their households in England could now book a test online if they had symptoms. | On Thursday, the UK government said up to 10 million key workers and their households in England could now book a test online if they had symptoms. |
| However, the scale of demand led to technical problems with the website used for applications. | However, the scale of demand led to technical problems with the website used for applications. |
| Ms Sturgeon said she was waiting for the issue to be resolved. | Ms Sturgeon said she was waiting for the issue to be resolved. |
| At the Scottish government's daily briefing, she also announced that 64 more people had died after testing positive for Covid-19, bringing the official total to 1,184. The number of people dying outside hospital is known to make the total far higher. | |
| However, Ms Sturgeon said there was "growing cause for optimism" as the number of patients in hospital fell by 38 to 1,710 and the number in intensive care fell by seven to 141. | However, Ms Sturgeon said there was "growing cause for optimism" as the number of patients in hospital fell by 38 to 1,710 and the number in intensive care fell by seven to 141. |
| UK government Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the new testing arrangements at Thursday's Downing Street coronavirus briefing, along with a commitment to recruit 18,000 people to trace contacts of those infected. | UK government Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the new testing arrangements at Thursday's Downing Street coronavirus briefing, along with a commitment to recruit 18,000 people to trace contacts of those infected. |
| Those who can now register for a test include NHS and social care workers, police officers, teachers, those in the justice system, supermarket and food production workers, journalists and transport workers. | Those who can now register for a test include NHS and social care workers, police officers, teachers, those in the justice system, supermarket and food production workers, journalists and transport workers. |
| Previously, a smaller group of key workers - those whose work is deemed critical to the Covid-19 response - were eligible for testing. | Previously, a smaller group of key workers - those whose work is deemed critical to the Covid-19 response - were eligible for testing. |
| The aim is to allow essential staff to safely return to work, and testing is not yet available for the general public. | The aim is to allow essential staff to safely return to work, and testing is not yet available for the general public. |
| Mr Hancock said once people enter their details online they will be sent a text or email inviting them to either book an appointment at a drive-through centre or to request a home test kit, though the latter are currently in limited supply. | Mr Hancock said once people enter their details online they will be sent a text or email inviting them to either book an appointment at a drive-through centre or to request a home test kit, though the latter are currently in limited supply. |
| Ms Sturgeon told her briefing that the Scottish testing would be available for workers in four categories ranging from health and social care staff to people employed in critical infrastructure and other essential services. | Ms Sturgeon told her briefing that the Scottish testing would be available for workers in four categories ranging from health and social care staff to people employed in critical infrastructure and other essential services. |
| "We will be sending out some more guidance and clarity on who is included in that and how employers and employees can access that but we will wait until the system itself has stabilised and the current technical difficulties it's experiencing have been resolved," she said. | "We will be sending out some more guidance and clarity on who is included in that and how employers and employees can access that but we will wait until the system itself has stabilised and the current technical difficulties it's experiencing have been resolved," she said. |
| The Scottish government has previously committed to carrying out 3,500 tests a day for Covid-19 by the end of April. | The Scottish government has previously committed to carrying out 3,500 tests a day for Covid-19 by the end of April. |
| Its latest figures show there were 1,290 patients tested on Thursday. | Its latest figures show there were 1,290 patients tested on Thursday. |
| A superlab opened this week in Glasgow which will focus on testing key workers such as NHS and care professionals. | A superlab opened this week in Glasgow which will focus on testing key workers such as NHS and care professionals. |
| The hope from staff at the Lighthouse Lab is that, as it scales up, they will move beyond key workers into widespread community testing of the general public. | The hope from staff at the Lighthouse Lab is that, as it scales up, they will move beyond key workers into widespread community testing of the general public. |
| Meanwhile, researchers from Oxford University have said they believe Scotland - like the rest of the UK - has already passed the peak of the outbreak. | Meanwhile, researchers from Oxford University have said they believe Scotland - like the rest of the UK - has already passed the peak of the outbreak. |
| Prof Carl Heneghan told the Good Morning Scotland programme that their analysis suggested cases reached their height on 9 April and the number of patients treated in intensive care units peaked three days later. | Prof Carl Heneghan told the Good Morning Scotland programme that their analysis suggested cases reached their height on 9 April and the number of patients treated in intensive care units peaked three days later. |
| He said the data was helping to show whether the lockdown restriction were working, and to help decide when it would be safer to begin opening up schools and the economy again. | He said the data was helping to show whether the lockdown restriction were working, and to help decide when it would be safer to begin opening up schools and the economy again. |
| Prof Carl Heneghan said figures on ambulance activity and calls to the 111 hotline were a more accurate reflection of the situation than death statistics. | Prof Carl Heneghan said figures on ambulance activity and calls to the 111 hotline were a more accurate reflection of the situation than death statistics. |
| He added: "As we go into the summer it will wane, but it will still be very difficult to get rid of every single case. | He added: "As we go into the summer it will wane, but it will still be very difficult to get rid of every single case. |
| "But we need to get a plan in place for next winter. If it re-emerges at that point, we need a different strategy because we can't afford to just keep locking down society." | "But we need to get a plan in place for next winter. If it re-emerges at that point, we need a different strategy because we can't afford to just keep locking down society." |
| Are you a key worker who is planning to book a coronavirus test on the UK government website? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you a key worker who is planning to book a coronavirus test on the UK government website? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below: | Or use the form below: |