A major new Covid-19 testing facility based has opened in Glasgow.

The Lighthouse Lab, which has now officially started testing samples for Covid-19, is part of what will be the biggest network of diagnostic testing facilities in British history, alongside other Lighthouse Lab sites in Milton Keynes and Alderley Park, which were opened in recent days.

The Lighthouse lab project is funded by the UK Government and in Glasgow is hosted by the University of Glasgow at its Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Campus, and opened in collaboration with the Scottish Government, industry experts from BioAscent and the University of Dundee, and the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute. 

The newly operational lab will will test samples from the regional test centres where NHS staff and frontline  workers with suspected Covid-19 infections are tested.

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It is hoped the lab will quickly move towards processing several thousand tests per day, before scaling up further to tens of thousands of tests per day.

The Lighthouse Labs are being established across the UK to analyse samples taken from regional testing centres.

Key worker testing will be carried out at drive-through facilities before samples are assigned and delivered to the closest Lighthouse Lab with capacity.

It is anticipated that the Lighthouse Lab in Glasgow will process tests from across the UK, however as the number of tests undertaken in Scotland increases, the Glasgow Lab will work to service these in the first instance.

In Scotland there are currently three regional testing centres in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

The Lab is currently equipped with 20 protective cabinets sourced from the University of Glasgow, a fleet of fast high throughput ThermoFisher PCR machines and RNA extractors.

Much of the equipment has been sourced from University of Glasgow labs, and moved to the new testing centre in order to make rapid COVID-19 response work possible. 

The Glasgow facility will be staffed on a 24/7 basis by around 100 staff members.

More than 800 volunteers came forward to help with the facility, including highly experiences molecular scientists, technicians and bioinformaticians – all with the relevant skills and experience to carry out Covid-19 testing.

The facility has been made possible through the work and commitment of partners, volunteers and University of Glasgow staff, including lab technicians, IT services and colleagues from the Professional Services across the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences in Glasgow..

Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, University of Glasgow Vice Principal and head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, who leads the team, said: “I am pleased that after weeks of hard work and continued effort by all involved, the University of Glasgow can now deliver the country new, large-scale testing facility, in conjunction with our industry partners and the NHS.

“I remain incredibly grateful to all partners and colleagues who have volunteered their time, expertise and skills for this testing facility.

"As a result of their willingness to help, we have equipped, staffed and set-up a new testing facility that is now operational and will be vitally important in the NHS efforts against this coronavirus pandemic. It has been said all over the world and confirmed by the WHO that we have to test, test and test more to fight the virus that has killed so many.”

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “The completion of our network with the Lighthouse Lab in Glasgow is a tremendous achievement for all the partners in such challenging circumstances and only five weeks after this project was started.

“Scotland has world-class universities and I am pleased they have been involved in this UK-wide effort as we work together to protect the NHS and save lives.”

Dr Jodie Hay, a chronic lymphocytic leukemia researcher at the University of Glasgow, is one of the volunteers at The Lighthouse Lab in Glasgow. A cancer scientist with experience of working with patient samples and molecular lab techniques, Dr Hay volunteered so she could use her skills to help with Covid-19 response in the UK.

Dr Hay said: “Although these are challenging times, it feels positive to be able to use my skills and experience in this way and to be able to help.”

Royal Bank of Scotland is introducing a new card to help vulnerable customers.

The "companion card" as a supplement card to an existing current account that enables vulnerable customers and those in extended isolation to give trusted volunteers a way to pay for their essential goods.

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The card can be topped up by up to £100 and given to a trusted person or carer to enable them to make purchases on behalf of the individual.

To enhance security, the carers card will be associated with the customer’s existing bank account but kept separate on the bank’s systems. The card does not share a PIN or long card number with the customer’s existing debit cards and ATM withdrawals are restricted to £50, as well as being subject to Royal Bank’s fraud monitoring systems.

The move is the latest in a series of innovations that Royal Bank has introduced in response to the coronavirus crisis to protect vulnerable customers and easier to pay for essentials.

The bank is also the first in the UK to offer vulnerable customers and those in extended isolation a fee-free cash delivery service to their door, with almost £250,000 delivered to around 750 customers since March 25.

Additionally, customers can request a "Get Cash" code that enables a trusted third-party to make ATM withdrawals up to £100 on someone’s behalf from any NatWest, Royal Bank or Ulster Bank NI ATM.

Les Matheson, of Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “Tackling issues around access to finance can be difficult for some. But we are committed to finding innovative solutions that keep our customers safe and able to pay for the things they need, when they need them – whether that’s digitally via our app, via this new card, or through cash.

"We will continue to listen to and be guided by our customers in introducing services that meet their needs and provide meaningful help.”

Unite Scotland has hailed a victory as 1,500 Marriott hotel workers have been placed on the coronavirus job retention scheme.

The union weclomed the decision by Marriott International today to put its casual workers onto the Government’s coronavirus job retention scheme. 

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Unite had been campaigning for one of the world’s leading hotel chains "to do the right thing" by its casual staff at its 60 managed hotels. 

Marriott International said in a statement: “We are now able to confirm that we have made the decision to place our casual workers in the UK into the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

"This will be effective from the date of hotel closure for all casuals that had worked in the last eight week period prior to that. This date will vary depending on when each hotel formally closed. 

“To date, approximately 500 of our casual workers in the UK have already been asked for agreement to be furloughed under this scheme and the remaining casual workers will receive letters in the coming days.”

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