Stupid covid restrictions imposed by NHS Scotland

In August, 2021 I was the tour manager for a group visiting the Orkneys and North Scotland. I was aware of a member of the group exhibiting a persistent cough and taking no personal responsibility and hygiene when coughing. We were staying in Kirkwall on the Orkneys and on our last night, one of the group said his wife had tested positive for COVID. We therefore had to test the whole party, a number of whom tested positive. I had used up all the test kits I was carrying with me on the trip and the hotel had to test their staff, using the last few kits. I contacted the local hospital to ask for more kits but was told to phone after 0900 in the morning. We were due to leave Kirkwall the following morning- but only those who tested negative, the others having to self-isolate in the hotel (at their own considerable personal expense) for ten days. In the morning I phoned the hospital who told me they could not provide any test kits. I went to the local Boots pharmacy who also said they could not provide any kits. On route back to the mainland, whilst waiting for the ferry in Stromness, I went to another pharmacist and was told as we didn’t live on Orkney we were not eligible for test kits. We continued on your journey to Inverness by train. Whilst on the train, I received a call from NHS Scotland, asking where we were going. I referred them to the owner of the company I was working for. Upon arrival at the hotel, I was told that NHS Scotland had declared the incident in Kirkwall as an outbreak and as a result could introduce ‘special measures’. We were therefore required to isolate for ten days in Inverness. Even if we tested negative. Our meals were sent to our rooms; with a knock on the door and a hastily retreating waiter very rarely seen! A day of machinations took place between NHS Scotland and my company. As part of their edict, we were all required to take a PCR test. Thinking we would have some white-suited protectively clad health worker come and administer the test- No! We had to arrange it ourselves. We all met outside the hotel and walked to the test centre together. Another farce developed here. There were no checks on our identity, and in truth we didn’t really need to provide our names. Equally, we did not have to provide any form of contact details such as mobile number or email. This being the case, I never bothered providing anything, as I had complied with the requirement to take a PCR test. We all returned to the hotel and back to our state of isolation. The following day was our departure from Inverness. Clearly leaving the hotel would be in contravention of the requirement made that we must isolate. However, tickets were already issued, and all being first class would mean extra expense on my passengers. As I had the tickets, I felt there was no other option but to resign my position and leave the hotel in the morning. The stupidity of this situation was that once we passed over the Tweed, we were back in England and not committing any offence. Some decided to stay on in the hotel. They certainly didn’t want anyone isolating there so they played their trump card- an invoice slipped under the door of those isolating, for the remaining 10 days. A total of £1,800. Strangely enough, by the following morning, those isolating were nowhere to be seen. Except maybe on a LNER service heading south towards London.