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]

@Theluggage15 the whole project was forecast to cost £100 billion (just the moonshoot). I would really like to see any sort of science that justifies this. And by science I am not referring to Chris Whitty's bought and paid for opinion.

Yes. I would like to see the scientific evidence. A lot of scientists seem very dubious. No money for NHS pay rises but billions for testing! Imagine what this sort of money could do in cancer research for example. Instead we’re wasting it on testing mainly healthy people.

That’s an interesting point about landfill. Hadn’t even given the disposal side of the tests a thought. A bit like masks I suppose. The virus is so deadly we must wear masks but not that deadly that they need to be disposed of in hazardous waste afterwards. It’s fine to just throw them in the bin or, like many, on the floor wherever you happen to be.

@ineedaholidaynow

What will people do if the tests do become compulsory if you want to go to certain events/venues etc?

I just won't go.

I said at election time this is the big state high spend Tory party which won because it was middle of the road. It was and is better than Corbyn or Stamer but is definitely an over spending party.

@Xenia

I said at election time this is the big state high spend Tory party which won because it was middle of the road. It was and is better than Corbyn or Stamer but is definitely an over spending party.

Even Corbyn is starting to look more appealing and I am as anti-far left as they come.

I don't think the politics of the left are what we need. We just need to tighten the purse strings before we land young people with debts so high many areas of life will be affected.

What will people do if the tests do become compulsory if you want to go to certain events/venues etc?

And I will continue to boycott any company that is complicit long after, it appears specifically designed to cause harm to marginal groups, like the vaccine passport which on all scientific evidence will reduce vaccine take up, it's designed to re-enforce the privilege of tory voters and unite them in hating and blaming the young and the immigrant.

For big events, like football etc. I will also boycott any sponsors involved in them.

@Xenia

I don't think the politics of the left are what we need. We just need to tighten the purse strings before we land young people with debts so high many areas of life will be affected.

We just need these crazy people to leave government and a sensible Conservative government to restore sanity, prudence and proportion. No I would never vote Corbyn but I think this conservative government are clearly insane and even Corbyn would be preferable to any more of this.

Ffs. This is just becoming fucking ridiculous now. Fuck off with your fucking tests and case numbers and variantsand vaccine passports and let people live now the vaccine is being rolled out.

I wouldn't mind if they made this available in Scotland I wouldn't be testing every week but I would do a test from home prior to doing something like seeing friends who are pregnant who won't be able to be vaccinated for a while yet.

I'm still recovering from getting covid and know this will protect me for a while til I have a vaccination but I did see a pregnant friend outside who was just outside of the isolation window and felt awful incase I had passed it on before I had symptoms (I didn't she went to get tested just in case).

@Scottishskifun - just as an aside - you are advised not to use lateral flow tests for 90s days after having covid as you can still record a false positive. (Although can't infect anyone!)

I'm not sure it's necessary for the general public to test twice a week, but it's a good idea for factories, schools, universities, warehouses etc where people are in daily close proximity to do it. Also a good option for people to do beforehand if they're planning to meet up.

@LadyDanburysCane

I would just not go. They won't stay in business long if they insist on compulsory medical tests before you can give them your dosh.

But it won’t be up to the business! It will be down to government rules so you'd want to punish a business for not breaking the law? That would be like an 18 year old refusing to give their business to a pub that asks to see proof of age!

No comparison

Yes, I have to withdraw my business if my private data is needed for access. It's not a punishment, it's the natural consequence of making a stupid law.

@hellcatspangle

I'm not sure it's necessary for the general public to test twice a week, but it's a good idea for factories, schools, universities, warehouses etc where people are in daily close proximity to do it. Also a good option for people to do beforehand if they're planning to meet up.

Yes, sending them to workplaces like these would have been a better idea, of course used in conjunction with a scheme to pay people a fair wage, at least equivalent to furlough if they have to have time off because of it.

Why are we spending 43 billion on this? We have vaccines. Those most at risk are have a good level of protection. The NHS will not be overrun. Where is the opposition on this?

@yeOldeTrout What if the negative LFT was required to be legally allowed to set foot off your property? This idea in UK was hinted at mid 2020. Not even China has implemented it, though people in China are expected to use an App to check in everywhere they go, I think they might be able to simply walk around a park or down the streets without having to check in. But presumably have to 'check in' when they get back to somewhere like a shared apartment building.

Then they'd better start recruiting police to enforce it if they want a test to leave your property.
That kind of thing would need checkpoints and random tests. We havent even got enough police for real crime, they'd never be able to catch the many thousand who'd be out without a test each day it would instantly fail

@Nappyvalley15

Why are we spending 43 billion on this? We have vaccines. Those most at risk are have a good level of protection. The NHS will not be overrun. Where is the opposition on this?

The money was spent ages ago remember when Boris heralded Operation Moonshot .

@ConnieCaterpillar70

It's all getting a bit batshit now, let's be honest.

Just a bit? It's INSANE

I guess the limbic system is pretty powerful and capable of overriding all rational thought. Thanks, SAGE and for your behavioural psychologists, for scaring the crap out of people for 12 months solid.

My first thought on reading this, like a few previous posters, was oh great let’s fill more landfill with single use plastic.

The good work that’s been done on banning plastic straws, stirrers etc has been undone a million fold.

The irony of us destroying the planet when she’s screaming at us to stop is not lost...

This seems incredibly wasteful if all adults are vaccinated.

The media (looking at you BBC) needs to quit doing special pieces about exhausted nurses and people who’ve lost a loved one and start asking some hard questions.
Why is this necessary if we have a working vaccine?
Is a booster shot being formulated for new variants and who should get it?
When can we open up hospitality and travel?
How will we smooth the move off furlough?
What is the plan for children and young people’s prospects and mental health?

I’ve had enough of the Orwellian nonsense.

I'm feeling very bitter about this. I have done everything asked of me, yet at 48 and unvaccinated with no sign of the vaccine for me and DH, I'm beginning to feel resentful.

I think for work places, education, holidays, travel and large gatherings they should be compulsory until it becomes so minor like other illnesses. The tests are easy to do and if they help save people from ill health etc surely that’s what a society does for each other.

So 2 vaccines and still testing just in case some twit brings back a new variant into the country on their essential-to-them foreign holiday to drink beer in the sun.

So I basically got vaccinated so some twits could go on their summer holidays and now I have to test myself twice a weeks so they can enjoy this freedom, while here at home it is still another week until the indoors pools can open at the earliest.

Some people need to reevaluate their definition of freedom when it means other people have less freedom to facilitate it.

Obviously it is all about the money needing to be spent. I won't be spending it though.

Are they doing twice weekly testing in Australia and NZ where internal life within the countries is largely operating as normal?

No.

Borders is the key factor.