Covid in Scotland: Irresponsible to scrap free testing, says SNP's Blackford
- Published
It would be "the "height of irresponsibility" if UK government plans to end Covid self-isolation meant an end to free testing in Scotland, the SNP's Westminster leader has said.
Boris Johnson is set to scrap all virus restrictions in England next week.
The legal requirement to self-isolate will be dropped as part of the prime minister's "living with Covid" plan.
But the SNP's Ian Blackford said it must remain in Scotland to allow people to protect themselves.
Currently, people who test positive for Covid in Scotland must self-isolate for a minimum of seven days.
Mr Blackford said that approach - along with free access to home-testing kits - was a sign of the Scottish government acting responsibly to keep people safe.
He told BBC Radio Scotland's The Sunday Show: "These tests have been quite instrumental in making sure that we can keep the lid on the spread of the virus as much as we can.
"We can't be put into a situation where our health is being imperilled by the decisions that Boris Johnson may be making to save his own political skin.
"Because let's remember that a number of his backbenchers rebelled against his plans to deal with Covid a matter of weeks ago.
"This is more to do with Boris Johnson than it is to do with taking the right decisions on public health grounds."
Ian Blackford said decisions must be made on public health grounds
Boris Johnson earlier told the BBC's Sunday Morning show that people should not throw caution to the wind over Covid.
But the prime minister said he wants to address the pandemic with a "vaccine-led approach", shifting the balance away from "banning certain courses of action".
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will unveil the Scottish government's plans for living with Covid at Holyrood on Tuesday.
In recent weeks, she has relaxed guidance on working from home, bubbles and groupings within schools and 2m physical distancing in some indoor settings.
But she is not expected, at this stage, to follow Mr Johnson's lead on scrapping all restrictions.
'Back to normal'
Ian Blackford said the Scottish government would continue to base its decisions on scientific evidence.
And he said current advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) backed up the retention of mass testing.
He said: "I would say to the UK government, it would be the height of irresponsibility if ourselves and the other devolved nations didn't have that ability to offer free testing. It must remain in place."
Mr Blackford said Ms Sturgeon's announcement on Tuesday would be a roadmap "to deal with Covid, to get on with our lives and get back to normal as much as we can".
"But with all that," he added "it's key that we continue to give the necessary protections to people."
