Glasgow Airport car park becomes drive-thru testing site for NHS staff

Coronavirus: Long-stay car park will have five lanes for in-car swab collection

Glasgow Airport’s long-stay car park has been transformed into a drive-thru mobile testing facility for front line NHS staff only to support the country’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The 17-acre car park site based on Abbotsinch Road is part of a series of measures being introduced to increase testing and response to the spread of COVID-19.

The on-airport facility is being introduced to test frontline NHS staff only at this stage and those being asked to provide swab samples from Sunday onwards will do so by appointment only. The testing centre is not open to the public.

The new testing centre, which opened on 5 April, has five lanes and will provide capacity for a greater number of COVID-19 tests each day. It will operate between 10am and 4:30pm.

Mark Johnston, Glasgow Airport’s managing director, said: “We are in regular contact with both the UK and Scottish Governments and have offered our facilities available to support the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Glasgow Airport has the space and infrastructure capable of accommodating a large-scale testing area and we are only too happy to support in this way. The impact of this virus affects us all and Glasgow Airport, the wider AGS Airports group and our people will continue to support the national effort to overcome COVID-19 and stand ready to help in any way we can.”

Alister Jack, Secretary of State for Scotland, said: “This new testing centre at Glasgow Airport, funded by the UK Government, will keep our frontline NHS staff doing the jobs they are trained to do. Allowing those who do not have the disease to go back to work and treat those who are most in need of care.

“This is part of the UK government’s plan to vastly expand our testing capacity as we continue to work around the clock and across the country to protect the vulnerable, support the NHS, and save lives.”

Last week, Glasgow and the wider AGS Airports Ltd group donated £40,000 to homeless charity Simon Community Scotland’s #GiveHope appeal.

The funding is being used to support the purchase of hotel accommodation for people who are homeless where they will be able to stay in single rooms, allowing them to self-isolate if necessary whilst accessing the range of services offered by the Simon Community.

For the latest guidance on COVID-19 visit: www.nhsinform.scot