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NHS Scotland strongly recommends that you attend your vaccine appointments when offered. This includes any booster vaccine which may be available. Further information on COVID-19 vaccines can be found at NHS Inform.
Businesses can help encourage vaccine take up by:
supporting staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine once it is offered to them. This may require paid time off to attend the appointment
encouraging vaccine take up by sharing the benefits of being vaccinated with staff. It could help to display material from the NHS COVID-19 vaccination marketing toolkit which includes information leaflets in a number of languages
Twice weekly testing using lateral flow devices (LFDs), also known as rapid tests, helps to identify positive cases in people who have no symptoms, but who are still infectious. Workplace testing aims to break chains of transmission and supports the operation of essential services.
Individuals should do a lateral flow test regularly (twice-weekly) and on every occasion they intend to mix socially with people from other households. This might mean testing more regularly. This will help break chains of transmission, which is particularly important with the new latest, more transmissible variant.
LFD kits are available through NHS Inform or from local pharmacies or test centres.
Workplace testing is open to all private, public and third sector workplaces with 10 or more members of staff who are based in Scotland. This approach aims to support and protect Scottish workplaces as they return to work. Workplaces with fewer than 10 employees can freely access the universal testing programme. We will review our approach to workplace testing in March 2022.
For eligible Scottish workplaces with 10 or more employees, whether public, private, or third sector, they can apply for Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs) via this page on the Scottish Government website Getting tested in Scotland. This will send the enquiry to the NHS Scotland testing mailbox at: Nss.covid19testingsupport@nhs.scot.
Organisations will then be sent the relevant form to fill out to apply for testing, relative to their sector. If a business is currently not eligible for workplace testing via the Scottish Government, the testing routes available are:
universal testing for staff who are not participating in other schemes in an education or workplace settings
staff can collect their own test kits from a local testsite or order online for the tests to be sent via the post or also can collect from a registered community pharmacies across Scotland
The asymptomatic testing programme does not replace the current testing policy for people with COVID-19 symptoms. People who experience symptoms of coronavirus must self-isolate immediately and arrange a PCR test. People with symptoms must not rely on a negative LFD result as a reason to continue to attend the workplace.
First published:23 Dec 2021Last updated:28 Feb 2022 - show all updates
Updated Employer and employee responsibilities, Precautionary measures, Sector-specific measures, Hybrid working, Test and Protect and self-isolation and Risk assessment.
Following sections updated to reflect latest position: Overview, Employer responsibilities, Precautionary measures, sector-specific measures, enforcement and related information.travel and transport, hybrid working, Test and Protect,
Changes to Overview, Employer and employee responsibilities, Precautionary measures, Sector-specific measures, Hybrid working, Test and Protect: self-isolation, Vaccination and workplace testing and Travel and transport. Removed Where we are now.
Care home workers/social care workers section updated to reflect changes in self-isolation effective from 6/01/2022.
Sector specific references to bingos and casinos amended to reflect latest position.
References to festive season arrangements removed.
Minor updates to 'Where we are now' and 'Sector specific meansures'
Added updated operational checklist
Updated retail/shops operational checklist.
Updated to reflect changes coming into force on 26/27 December
Updated retail/shops: operational checklist.
Minor changes to reflect latest situation.
Updated sector specific page to cover close contact services.
Updated to reflect requirements around protection measures and home working.
Updated to reflect current situation.
Minor update.
Various updates to reflect latest situation.
Minor updates.
Minor updates to reflect changes to vaccine certification scheme.
Update to vaccination and workplace testing and further minor updates to employer and employee responsibilities and related information.
All sections updated.
All sections updated to reflect the latest position.
Related information page updated.
Added information about Covid certification scheme to the chapter on vaccination.
Minor textual changes made to reflect introduction of certification scheme.
Updates to examples in face coverings section.
Added checklist for retail/shops in the supporting documents.
Added checklist for laboratories and research facilities in the supporting documents.
Changes to Face coverings and Precautionary measures.
Updated title of supporting document to manufacturing sector: operational checklist.
Face coverings page updated.
Textual amend to Precautionary measures
Minor changes throughout to update tense to reflect current situation.
Travel and transport information updated.
Changes to Test and Protect and self-isolation in line with self-isolation policy changes.
Overview updated to reflect current situation.
Removed General guidance for safer workplaces – checklist - 3 June 2021 from supporting documents
Added link to guidance on individual occupational risk assessment on Risk assessments page.
Advanced manufacturing checklist added.
Related information page updated with links to sector guidance.
Changes to Test and Protect and self isolation
Updated to reflect changes as Scotland moves beyond level 0 of the levels system.
All pages updated to reflect latest position - particularly change in physical distancing requirements from 2 metres to 1 metre.
Distribution and site visitors page updated.
Training and compliance page updated
COVID-19 risk assessment page updated.
Dealing with emergencies section in operational guide page updated.
Updated to reflect latest situation.
Information re inbound and outbound goods on deliveries page and overview pages updated.
Information re inbound and outbound goods updated on deliveries section.
Updated to include information on workplace testing in workforce planning page.
Updated to reflect latest situation.
Updated the work in other peoples' homes chapter.
Workforce planning and support page updated.
Updated to reflect latest situation.
Door-to-door services section updated to reflect the latest guidance.
Overview and where we are now page updated to reflect latest position and remove redundant information.
Added new section on work cohorts "work bubbles"
Update to face coverings section in operational guide.
Updated information on vaccination and door-to-door services
Added information on vaccination to workforce planning and support section.
Overview and where we are now sections updated to reflect latest position.
Shielding information updated.
Coming to work and leaving work and Inbound and outbound goods information updated.
Physical distancing information updated.
Overview page updated to reflect latest position.
Updates to individual risk assessments for the workplace and working in people's homes FAQ.
Update to work in other people's homes FAQ page.
Overview page updated to reflect latest position.
Update to Work in Other Peoples’ Homes FAQ
Amendments made to Overview, Where we are now, Training and Compliance and Operational guide pages to reflect latest position.
Amendments made to FAQ on working in other peoples' homes to reflect latest position.
Minor updates made to various sections to take account of latest situation.
Updated work in other peoples' homes FAQ to include updated advice on door to door services
New section added on door-to-door services.
Festive guidance - easy read version added.
Update to workforce planning and support page to reflect change in self-isolation period.
Workforce planning and support page updated to reflect change in self-isolation period from 14 days to 10 days.
Festive workplace guidance added - see attachment.
Update to Work in Other Peoples’ Homes FAQ.
Update to Work in Other Peoples’ Homes FAQ
Updated to reflect new protection levels
Minor changes made to where we are now, workforce planning and support and operational guide pages to reflect latest developments including changes to face mask recommendations.
Update to workforce planning and support and operational guide and checklist sections
Update to temperature checks information in operational guide section.
Updates to workforce planning and operational guide to add information about temperature checking and the contact tracing app
