Concern Over Lack Of Testing
Briefing Note
Credits — CW Aberdeen, CW Angus, CW Dundee, CW Edinburgh North & Leith, CW Edinburgh South, CW Glasgow, CW Inverness, CW Perth & Kinross, CW Skye, Raasay and Badenoch, CW South Ayrshire
Overview
Several of Common Weal’s Local Groups respond to the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 Framework for Decision Making by calling for an increase in the ambition of its proposed Test, Trace, Isolate and Support plans.
We in Common Weal are very pleased the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 Framework for Decision Making in all but one respect as we think that its Test, Trace, Isolate and Support plans are limited and unambitious.
We feel strongly that a policy of mass testing is needed if we are to know where the virus is prevalent and who has it. The current plans may at best contain the virus but will not eliminate it from our nation.
This consultation response details the response that we would consider to be proportionate to the task of Ending Lockdown.
Key Points
The group are pleased with the Framework in general but are concerned about the lack of scale in its TTIS plan.
The policy of mass testing must be increased to meet the scale demanded by the pandemic.
The Scottish Government should adopt a programme more akin to Common Weal’s previous policy paper on testing, Ending Lockdown.
The group is concerned that attempts by the UK Government to prematurely end restrictions will result in a spike cases and calls for the Scottish Government to resist political pressures to follow suit.
Given the potential negative costs of not controlling the virus, this scheme should not be seen as a “big ask” but as a “sensible and logical ask”.
