Nicola Sturgeon urged to extend coronavirus testing in care homes with spare kits
The FM said she is "deeply concerned'' about the situation in care homes, and stressed that "testing is important but it has to be clinically driven''.
Nicola Sturgeon has resisted a suggestion from Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard to focus all unused testing capacity on care home residents and staff.
With more than half of Scotland's testing capacity not being taken up, the First Minister was asked whether this could be used by those working and living in care homes amid further coronavirus outbreaks.
Ms Sturgeon said she is "deeply concerned'' about the situation in care homes, and stressed that "testing is important but it has to be clinically driven''.
She revealed last Friday that the capacity for daily testing was 8,350, and she expected the figure to rise to 10,500 by the end of this week, although there was a temporary capacity drop of 2,000 due to changing staff patterns at a lab in Glasgow.
The latest Scottish Government figures show 4,683 tests were carried out by both the UK and Scottish governments on Tuesday.
During First Minister's Questions, Mr Leonard cited the First Minister's figure of 59% of all coronavirus-related deaths having occurred at care homes as he called for the unused capacity to be targeted in that sector.
Under the current Government guidance, all residents and workers at a care home where there has been a confirmed or suspected outbreak of Covid-19 can be tested, as well as any "linked'' homes if there is a joint use of staff.
All new residents should be isolated for at least a week after entering the home.
Ms Sturgeon said: "I absolutely understand how deeply distressing this is, particularly for relatives of people in care homes, for those who work in care homes, and for the wider public.
"While testing is important, we must not - even inadvertently - oversimplify the situation to say that testing is the only thing that matters.
"Basic infection prevention and control is the most important thing in care homes and in dealing with a situation for this infection, or with any infection.''
Mr Leonard also called on the Government to commit to a pay rise of at least £2 per hour for key workers, following a campaign from the trade union umbrella group the STUC, as well as a death-in-service payment for all care workers, not just NHS staff.
Describing the move as an "important first step in ending the long-term undervaluation of our care workers'', he added: "Our care workers are putting themselves at risk in the front line of this battle against Covid-19 every day and every night of the week, but many of them are among Scotland's lowest paid workers.
"Last week, the First Minister said we will be looking for quite some time to come how to properly recognise and reward those on the front line of our health and care services.
"But there is action that can be taken now.''
Ms Sturgeon said the Government is able to commit to a death-in-service payment for NHS workers who die with coronavirus.
"I bow to nobody in my admiration, respect and deep gratitude for health and care workers the length and breadth of this country,'' she replied.
Ms Sturgeon added there are ongoing pay discussions with trade unions and employers, and said: "As far as we can, within the resources we have, we want to make sure that we are rewarding them properly.
"Social care workers - and I'm not going to labour this point in Scotland, and this is not to say they're paid enough at all - but in Scotland, they are already paid more than counterparts in England and Wales and we want to make sure that we are valuing those who have done so much for us.''
Hear all the latest news from across the North of Scotland on the hour, every hour, at MFR. Listen on FM, via our MFR app, on your DAB radio, online at MFR.co.uk, or say ‘Play MFR’ on your Smart Speaker.