Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The planned drive-thru coronavirus testing centre at Glasgow Airport’s long-stay car park will open this afternoon.

The 17-acre site, based on Paisley’s Abbotsinch Road, is part of a series of measures being introduced to increase testing for Covid-19.

The facility is being introduced to test frontline NHS staff only at this stage and those being asked to provide swab samples will do so by appointment only.

The testing centre is not open to the public.

Due to be become operational this afternoon, the new testing centre will have up to five lanes and provide capacity for a greater number of Covid-19 tests each day.

As of tomorrow, it will open 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.

(Image: PA)

“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 Ltd 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.”

The testing centre comes a few days after Glasgow Airport confirmed it was operating a restricted service, with just 16 flights scheduled in and out of th airport each day.

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