Free covid testing for all in Scotland will be scrapped by the end of April, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
Scots without virus symptoms will no longer be encouraged to take two lateral flow tests (LFTs) every week as of April 18, while those who do have symptoms will be expected to take a PCR test until the end of next month.
Free access to LFTs will end on April 18 except for those working in health and social care and for people visiting vulnerable individuals in care homes or hospitals.
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Those living in close contact with people who test positive will also be asked to continue taking daily LFTs for one week.
PCR testing sites will close on or around April 30 and Scots who display symptoms will instead be advised to stay home until they feel better.
Sturgeon told MSPs her government's "freedom of manoeuvre here is severely limited by the fact that our funding is determined by UK Government decisions taken for England".
She said: "We have sought as far as we can to reach the right decisions for Scotland," she said.
"It is important to note that we are aiming for the same long term position as England on testing.
"However, we consider that the transition should be longer. In England, testing for people without symptoms ended in mid February, and will do so at the end of this month for those with symptoms.
"We intend the transition to last until the end of April. This is as far as we can go within funding constraints, but it allows us to take account of current case numbers, and better support the shift in our management of the virus."
She added: "For the next month - until Easter - there will be no change to our testing advice.
"If you don’t have symptoms, you should continue for now to use a lateral flow test twice weekly, daily for seven days if you are a close contact of a positive case, and before visiting someone who is vulnerable.
"If you have symptoms, you should continue to get a PCR test, either at a testing site or by post.
"However, following the Easter weekend - from April 18 - we will no longer advise people without symptoms to test twice weekly.
"With the exception of health and care settings, the advice to test regularly will also end from April 18 for workplaces, and for early learning and childcare settings, mainstream and special schools, and universities and colleges."
Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Lib Dem leader, said: "The Scottish Government is in lock-step with the UK Government on testing, and that means the end of free lateral flow tests in almost all circumstances. They are already selling online.
"Thousands of people rely on LFTs to protect their vulnerable loved ones from covid - to protect people who they know are immunosuppressed, people who spent months shielding, to give them comfort and confidence.
"We need to know what the First Minister's message to people who will be worried at this new cost of caring and whether she will guarantee that carers, NHS staff, care home staff and visitors have access to free covid tests."
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