@Reastie
Does anyone know if other countries are struggling with numbers of testing? We have quite a narrow range of symptoms for testing compared to other countries so you’d think the amount of tests required would therefore be less. I’m just wondering if it’s just UK being incompetent with testing or if worldwide others have the same issue.
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The UK has increased testing very rapidly, going from one of the lower testers to one of the highest
However, no country can test everyone who wants a test, without some grounds
Most larger European countries now do targeted testing:
of infection hotspots, contacts of infected people, HCPs and care workers
The UK does as well, except it has not yet been able to test care workers as promised
Seems to be too many unrealistic promises - and the "worried well" being allowed to take up tests
In particular, there should not be tests for people who only want a negative test before going on holiday abroad - some countries want this,
but someone's wish for a holiday should not trump the need of a weekly test for a care worker, or of sniffly child for a test to return to school
- school return is another reason for the queue for tests, but I don't know if other countries who returned earlier have experienced the same
I posted before that the premier of the German state of Bavaria, pop 13 million, promised everyone there could have a free test without grounds
- which has proved that any test system even in a large German state can be overloaded
Both labs and doctors complained this had disrupted even their normal non-COVID work with the demand from the worried well.
Until then, he had been widely praised for handling COVID v well in Bavaria - the hardest hit German state - but hopefully that bright idea has now bitten the dust.