Scottish biotech firm to offer free COVID-19 testing for frontline NHS workers
Censo Biotechnologies, a specialist biotech company, has joined the COVID-19 Volunteer Testing Network, offering free coronavirus testing for GPs and other front-line health care professionals who are at significant risk both personally and as potential super-spreaders to the vulnerable community from Monday 4th May 2020.
The COVID-19 Volunteer Testing Network is supplementing the Government’s official testing programme and Midlothian-based Censo Bio, the first Scottish lab to take part, will be able to provide same-day results. Health professionals will be able to be tested as regularly as weekly, even if they show no symptoms, with no limit on how many times they can be tested.
The company is also working with NHS Scotland to be able to augment their centralised testing programme as and when they are ready to do so and have offered the use of their 25-strong workforce of scientists to support NHS Scotland labs where possible.
“Hospital doctors are not being tested currently unless they are symptomatic. Our participation in this network will allow Scottish frontline staff whether they are presenting symptoms or not to be tested and tested as often as weekly.
We are contacting GP surgeries with details of where to send samples but any hospital staff wishing to be tested simply need to contact us via email covidtesting@censobio.com with their employment details and we will send out a kit to them immediately. As soon as we receive the sample, we will be able to provide results the same day, free of charge.”
The COVID-19 Volunteer Testing Network was launched by Mike Fischer, the entrepreneur who founded the stock photography company Alamy, and has donated an initial £1m funding to establish the project.
The director of a medical research laboratory in Abingdon, Mike Fischer launched a recruitment drive asking for any lab in jw.covid19-testing.org.
Censo Bio, the first Scottish lab to take part, will be able to provide same-day results. Health professionals will be able to be tested as regularly as weekly, even if they show no symptoms, with no limit on how many times they can be tested.
For further information, please contact:
Roslin Innovation Centre
The University of Edinburgh
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian, EH25 9RG
Director of Innovation: Val Hughes-White
T: +44 (0)131 651 9000
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