On Saturday she began suffering symptoms of the virus and took a test. Despite this, she travelled 400 miles to London by train on Monday – a journey of five hours and 40 minutes – to attend parliament, where she made a brief speech in the evening during a debate on coronavirus.
That evening she was also told she had tested positive for the virus. It is unclear whether she was told that before or after she spoke in parliament, about the replacement of the furlough scheme.
The following morning, Tuesday, she travelled by train to Scotland without seeking advice but knowing she had the virus. The Guardian understands that Ferrier told the SNP’s chief whip, Patrick Grady, that a family member was unwell and was given the requisite permission to leave parliament. She has been self-isolating at home since then.
On Wednesday afternoon, she told Grady that she had tested positive for coronavirus herself, but it was assumed that the test had been done when she returned to Scotland. It was only on Thursday that it emerged that she had in fact been tested on Saturday. It is also understood that the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, was told about Ferrier’s actions following FMQs on Thursday afternoon.
