Relief as RAF Lossiemouth runway workers' Covid tests come back negative
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MORAY politicians have expressed relief that two contractors at RAF Lossiemouth have returned negative results from the official NHS Covid-19 test.
The NHS tests were arranged for the two workers for VolkerFitzpatrick, the main contractor on RAF Lossiemouth’s £75 million runway resurfacing project, after the company’s weekly antibody testing regime showed positive results on Monday.
Runway work was halted on Tuesday for a deep-clean of the site.
The results were confirmed today by UK Government Defence Minister Jeremy Quinn MP during a virtual meeting with Moray Conservative MP Douglas Ross and local community representatives.
Mr Ross said: "It is clearly very welcome news that both these tests have proven negative, meaning the two individuals were not infectious with Covid-19.
"As I said on Tuesday evening when these suspected cases were first identified, it was important to wait for the official results. Sadly, some elected representatives chose to spread inaccurate and deeply damaging information without being in possession of the full facts.
"VolkerFitzpatrick has introduced extensive and comprehensive testing amongst the workforce in response to concerns from the local community, and their ultra-precautionary approach is designed to keep both the workforce and local community as safe as possible. However, as these results have shown, the two individuals were not in any way a risk given they are not active carriers of Covid-19."
He added: "Our meeting with local community representatives allowed them to hear directly from the government about how vital these works are to the base, but also how we will continue to listen to the concerns of the local community and to work with them to reassure local residents that everything is being done to protect individuals and the community while this vital infrastructure is completed."
Moray SNP MSP Richard Lochhead said the negative test results were a relief for the two men, the workforce and the community.
He said: "After testing positive for antibodies under the company’s own testing regime, it was important the men were subsequently tested by the NHS to ascertain if they were likely to be infectious.
"The presence of antibodies means that they have been exposed to the virus in the past but the NHS test is to rule them out of having it now.
"Moray and Scotland are making great progress with suppressing the virus and it is important that the MoD and companies engaged on the major long-term construction projects at RAF Lossiemouth continually engage with the community about how the regular commuting by workers from elsewhere in the UK is managed. We need everything that can be done at this fragile time to keep Moray safe.
"I have been contacted by hundreds of constituents about this issue and related MoD issues during the pandemic – including by service families, contractor workers and wider community representatives."
VolkerFitzpatrick claims all on-site workers – around 100 – have opted in to receive the weekly antibody tests.
Conservative Councillor James Allan (Heldon & Laich) said: "I’ve had lots of communication with Group Captain Layden (RAF Lossiemouth station commander) and VolkerFitzpatrick in recent days and I’m reassured by everything they are doing to minimise the risk to the local community at this time.
"We all marched to save RAF Lossie a decade ago and it’s excellent to now see the base bigger and busier than ever – but it’s also right that we respond to local concerns and that is exactly what happened in this case.
"The meeting with Douglas and Jeremy Quinn allowed us all to discuss the works at Lossiemouth, what has been done to mitigate the risk, and what will continue to be done by RAF Lossiemouth and the contractors as these works continue."
SNP councillor Amy Taylor (Heldon & Laich) said earlier this week that the whole situation highlighted the need for the MoD to take heed of widespread community concerns about workers travelling to and from the site during the pandemic.
Councillor Taylor said: "The shared living arrangements for contractors is a particular concern for the community and needs to be much better dealt with by the MoD."
