The first public Covid-19 screening centre at in airport in Scotland has opened at Edinburgh airport.
Passengers can receive fast PCR swab tests at a cost of £80 or £99 for the general public. Airport staff have a subsidies rate of £60.
The ExpressTest site is located in front of the terminal in the FastPark area of the car park and opened on Wednesday.
Test results will be emailed or texted to customers typically the next day, with airline passengers advised to schedule a test 48-96 hours prior to their departure as a precaution.
Those who screen negative will be emailed a ‘Fit to Fly’certificate that is authorised by a doctor, along with their test result.
However passengers are encouraged to check with their travel provider as to whether this document is accepted before booking the screening service.
The ExpressTest serviceis being touted as an important aspect of the airport’s recovery for when restrictions are lifted.
It comes ahead of a Covid-19 screening centre opening at Gatwick at the end of the month.
Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar said: “Protecting and mitigating risk to public health and providing reassurance and confidence to people who need and want to travel is incredibly important if aviation and all of the industries that rely on it are to recover.
“We have acted with ExpressTest to ensure we are in as strong a position as possible to allow aviation as a facilitator industry to drive Scotland’s recovery.
“Until then, people must continue to adhere to local regulations and ensure they understand and follow government guidance to protect themselves and others.”
Nick Markham, founder of ExpressTest, added: “Our mission is to provide reassurance to people that they are Covid-free, whether that’s when they are travelling or visiting friends and family.
“The ambition is for us to have 30 locations up and running across the UK in the next few months, and this landmark facility in Edinburgh is just the start.”