All adults (in England)* to be offered twice-weekly tests

[MiaMc]

How do we think this is going to work?

Reportedly only 20% of people with symptoms are referring themselves for formal testing. So unfortunately I can’t imagine take up of this being high unless it becomes mandatory to show evidence of the result in certain situations.

Sadly, too many people seem to take the view that if something isn’t going to benefit them directly they can’t see why they should do it.

Then there will be those people who come up with excuses as to why they should be exempt. If take up isn’t high enough and people don’t do the test correctly it’s going to seem like an expensive pointless exercise.

• [Title edited by MNHQ to make it clear this relates to England only, and that tests are being offered but are not mandatory. Original title said: All adults to test themselves twice per week]

I can see places of work requiring this, where was this reported?

I'd hope people would if mixing and means helping to protect their loved ones. I'm seeing friends next week in the garden etc but we all have to get tested twice a week anyways for work purpose so agreed to test that morning to be safe too.

It’s all over the news this morning

www.bbc.com/news/uk-56632084

I think you’ve misread it op? It does not say all adults to test twice a week. It says it will be made available for adults to test twice a week. That’s a very different thing.

I’m doing twice weekly lateral flows for work, and my DS is for school.
I find it quite reassuring.

I don’t even think people will have to find ways of saying they’re exempt. The news says testing will be “offered”, many people just won’t take up the offer.

I’m not sure I will. I don’t switch my app on, I don’t scan QR codes in shops/take aways. I’d rather not know, I don’t want to be told to isolate just because I may have briefly been in the same building on the same day as someone with covid.

Friend of mine says at her school 40% of kids aren’t doing the testing.

Parents are worried if their kid tests positive then the household has to isolate which could mean adults don’t get paid, could lose their jobs, etc.

It can't do any harm. Kids are doing them and I've done w a few too to work in vaccine centre. It is reassuring and if it means we can get in with our lives I'm happy to do it.

It’s frustrating up that the typical irresponsible anti-lockdown Covid denier is also the kind of person not to take up this testing.
Fancy denying a measure that could prevent the situation they are so opposed to...there’s no logic to it at all.

Er...have the option to test themselves!!!

@Bluntness100

I think you’ve misread it op? It does not say all adults to test twice a week. It says it will be made available for adults to test twice a week. That’s a very different thing.

But what is the point if it’s only being offered? Diligent responsible people will take up the test, ignorant wankers won’t bother. They need to encourage the ignorant wankers to do them too!

I've been doing this because it's already available to those with DC of secondary age.

(Though I don't always remember to do both, as it's still a new habit)

I think it will help - even if people do them a bit erratically, and even allowing for the very high false negative rate, it will detect some cases before symptoms. So taking early morning before you go visiting family and friends could be quite an important measure.

I hope it'll help keep it out of workplaces too

We’ve tailed off doing this a bit. If the tests were accurate then I’d be more disciplined, but only 50% at best? Meh.

The reporting on gov.uk also needs to be improved to remember details when you’re reporting for other people, otherwise it takes ages keep re inputting the same information.

What is the fucking point of being vaccinated if we’re supposed to get tested twice a week???

It’s a pointless waste of time and money.

The reporting on gov.uk also needs to be improved to remember details when you’re reporting for other people, otherwise it takes ages keep re inputting the same information.

I know so many people who have said this is the reason they've stopped doing them. For those needing to submit multiple results the process is a pain, and it's definitely preventing people from testing.

I’m not opposing it, I’m asking how it’s going to work as an effective measure to prevent outbreaks if it’s reliant on the good will of people to do it.

If you’re vaccinated you hopefully won’t become ill yourself, but I understand you might still unknowingly catch and spread the virus.

I've been doing twice weekly for work for ages. (School) the LFD test kits are incredibly fiddly and we have said many times that there will be a certain cohort of parents who just won't do them, and the number of results we are getting weekly is dropping gradually. We have issued kits for Easter, it will be interesting to see how many actually do them twice weekly or who just does it on Sunday 18th before we go back. And there is no way of knowing if the test has been done correctly; or even that it's been done at all- you could just log a negative result.

Within a school population you will certainly get those who test diligently, those who test occasionally/sporadically, those who don't bother at all, and those who say they have tested and actually haven't. The same will apply in general population. Eventually the cost will outweigh the benefit.

Sorry I’m response to @AlecTrevelyan006

Another pointless expensive exercise. They should be putting money into supporting those that do have to isolate so that they do isolate.

The control measures will keep escalating.

Nothing about escalating control measures makes me feel safe.

I wonder what we'll be asked to do next week or next month.
Maybe the simple 'voluntary opportunity' will escalate to mandatory to self-test before we're allowed to leave our property each day. And done daily not just twice a week. This idea was mooted last year, so pretty feasible it will actually be implemented in 2021.

Is there any way today's announcement won't make the anxious feel much more anxious?

It isn't just "ignorant wankers" who would be reluctant to be tested. People who are not eligible for sick leave will be in a huge quandary. How do they pay the rent / buy food for the 2 weeks while they have a reduced / no income coming in?

If I was in that situation I would be reluctant to confirm the mild cough I have is COVID.

I suspect the government is "making available" rather than mandatory because it means they don't have to put a financial package in place for those people who cannot afford to take time off work.

DP and I have been testing twice weekly for work since Christmas. The plastic waste generated by lateral flow tests is horrendous. This news really made my heart sink.
Although, my family's recent Covid infection was first detected by a lateral flow test for work, so I suppose they do the trick.

@MiaMc

I’m not opposing it, I’m asking how it’s going to work as an effective measure to prevent outbreaks if it’s reliant on the good will of people to do it.

I’d be more bothered about how it’s going to work when the lateral flow tests are notoriously inaccurate. Miss 50% of cases and have false positives. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55198298

I’ve had both vaccines. Like a previous poster said what’s the point if you’ve been vaccinated?

We do not need weekly tests, in countries that have it under control people have codes on phone which allow chase if cases are discovered , that is far more efficient if we as a country feel the need to track. Weekly testing at home is pointless

Already doing them here. I know they're not 100% accurate, but I'm doing them to protect others. Moving forward and mixing with friends/family who I care about, it offers a level of reassurance that we're as safe as we can be together.