Scotland is now in the run up to its busiest agricultural period. As the agricultural industry relies on foreign seasonal workers to meet production demands, a testing approach for seasonal workers which enables farms to operate while also maximising public health protection by reducing the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks has now been agreed.
In line with existing public health measures for all international travellers coming to Scotland, people arriving from outside the UK to work on Scottish farms need to go into self-isolation for 10 days.
The testing approach agreed with the industry is that all workers will take a Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR) test on days two and eight of self-isolation so that new strains of coronavirus can be identified quickly and effectively to break any potential chains of transmission.
The Seasonal Workers Testing information document contains key information about the approach including details for farms and their employees and support channels available to staff who have to self-isolate because they test positive or are identified as a close contact.
