#16,664
Many countries around the world are moving towards a`living with COVID' approach to the pandemic, and have dropped or reduced many restrictions, with the UK leading the charge.
Two weeks ago, the UK announced All COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Would Be Removed, while in February all other restrictions (including mandatory self-isolation if sick), were cancelled (see Prime Minister sets out plan for living with COVID).
As a result, testing has steadily dropped in the UK (down 70% since January), and while officially reported daily positive case numbers are running just under 100K, ongoing surveillance studies suggest a much higher rate of infection.
This increasing trend of `Don't Test, Don't Tell' around the world makes the pandemic appear to be less impactful than it really is, and that can be politically advantageous. But it is not without its risks, as the WHO pointed out in yesterday's Weekly COVID Epi Report, where they warned:
"WHO is concerned about the recent significant reduction in SARS-CoV-2 testing by several Member States. Data are becoming progressively less representative, less timely, and less robust."
Going a step further, starting tomorrow the UK will no longer provide free home test kits to the general public, citing budgetary concerns. These test kits are far less expensive to buy in the UK than they are here in the United States, but some fear the costs will discourage their use.
The UK's Department of Health and Social Care outlines the changes to their testing policy, starting April 1st, below:Government sets out next steps for living with COVID
New guidance outlines free COVID-19 tests will continue to be available to help protect specific groups once free testing for the general public ends on 1 April
From:Department of Health and Social Care Published 29 March 2022
- Free COVID-19 tests will continue to be available to help protect specific groups including eligible patients and NHS and care staff once the universal testing offer ends on 1 April and next steps for adult social care set out
- Plans in place to enable rapid testing response should a new health threat emerge, such as a new variant of concern emerge
- Vaccines and treatments mean we can transition to managing COVID-19 like other respiratory illnesses, with updated guidance published on 1 April
People at risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and eligible for treatments, will continue to get free tests to use if they develop symptoms, along with NHS and adult social care staff and those in other high-risk settings, Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid announced today (Tuesday 29 March).
Free testing for the general public ends on 1 April as part of the Living with Covid plan which last month set out the government’s strategy to live with and manage the virus.
Although COVID-19 infections and hospitalisations have risen in recent weeks, over 55% of those in hospital that have tested positive are not there with COVID-19 as their primary diagnosis.
Free universal testing has come at a significant cost to the taxpayer, with the testing, tracing and isolation budget costing over £15.7 billion in 2021-22. This was necessary due to the severe risk posed by COVID-19 when the population did not have a high level of protection.
Thanks to the success of the vaccination programme and access to antivirals, alongside natural immunity and increased scientific and public understanding about how to manage risk, the population now has much stronger protection against COVID-19 than at any other point in the pandemic.
This is enabling the country to begin to manage the virus like other respiratory infections.
From 1 April, updated guidance will advise people with symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19, and a high temperature or who feel unwell, to try stay at home and avoid contact with other people, until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and they no longer have a high temperature. Until 1 April individuals should continue to follow the current guidance.
From 1 April, anyone with a positive COVID-19 test result will be advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days, which is when they are most infectious.
Advice will be provided for individuals who need to leave their home when they have symptoms or have tested positive, including avoiding close contact with people with a weakened immune system, wearing a face-covering and avoiding crowded places.
Since the future course of the pandemic is unknowable, it is impossible to say whether these testing changes are prudent and timely, or premature and reckless.
Only time will tell.
