Is testing being phased out now by stealth ?

[Twinklingstarface]

Is the Gvt easing us out of this pandemic by testing less so positive case numbers appear to have dropped in a few weeks? I’m sure with the lack of tests employees and pupils will still need to attend work rather than assuming a positive result in absence of a test. All chemists here are out of stock so is this the beginning of the end of asymptomatic isolations?

I assume whatever happens the ONS household survey testing and the sewage testing will continue for several years?
I know a lot of data is gathered and extrapolated by Gov that way

I think that's exactly the plan. We are at capacity with the testing system anyway so it doesn't really represent the real number of cases. The hospitalisations are the figures to watch.

@MarshaBradyo I think in The Times, maybe the Guardian online. It wasn’t saying it’s definitely going to happen, but that it’s being considered.

Of course if we go down that route the govt will lose their grip on accurate ish figures. People won’t report their LFTs. 🤷‍♀️ And then there’s the issue of false negatives.

But good point that hospitalisation rates being more important. Guess the scientists/statisticians can make a fairly accurate estimate of community infection rate based on that.

Ireland just changed their testing rules.
Looks like younger people/ kids won't now be getting a pcr to check whether the symptoms are a cold or covid. They need to already be positive on LFT.

www.irishtimes.com/news/health/coronavirus-new-rules-aim-to-free-up-half-of-pcr-testing-capacity-1.4766233

God forbid we shouldn't get to find out about another worrying new variant, if we don't get new scary names for an essentially mild disease how will they continue to frighten people into submission?

Living with the virus will, sooner or later, mean no restrictions, no community testing, and no media reporting of figures.

Yes.

Hospitalisations and deaths is all that matters.

Family member tested + on flow test , nearest pcr testing place cancelled on him and nearest one after that was over twenty miles away
He is just going to stay indoors now!
So another one not on the stats , he is pretty sure it's Omnicron.

I really believe with this government the answer is almost always cock up, not conspiracy.

@Wizzbangfizz

God forbid we shouldn't get to find out about another worrying new variant, if we don't get new scary names for an essentially mild disease how will they continue to frighten people into submission?

Is amazing to me how many people have bought into the conspiracy theory that this is all about 'submission'.

If this is all about ' control ' or the 'great reset ' or any other conspiracy theory out there , why didn't they have a few police barriers up on the Scottish border to stop all those people going over to England on NYE ? Or on the welsh border ?
They were interviewing them all on the tv all defiantly doing what they wanted to do.
If another more deadly variant crops up I doubt it would take a lot to convince people it's not ' made up ' or whatever.
It's entrenched now that people are out to get us :(

And it amazes me how many people want to restrict their lives and accept lockdowns and school closures whilst simultaneously ruining the lives of young people and crippling hospitality when we have vaccines and this is as good as it is going to get.

I've done everything that has been asked, and I'm no covid denier or conspiracy theorist. Stop trying to put people in a bubble which matches your narrative.

Nobody is saying they want restrictions, yes to hospitality if it’s a safe environment, yes to holidays if they can put things in place to help - advertise all staff LFT daily, extra cleaning, masks insisted upon etc

Schools can cope with a few staff off, it’s a large sector, what they need is better infection control. Won’t happen unless parents are on board and willing to do their bit, as well as the education department

I’m fed up of lone office worker terrified of driving to work in a single office that’s ventilated etc when schools staff need to mix with hundreds of others all day with no restrictions - the lack of understanding is huge!!

Health care staff are on their knees with no staff, long shifts etc, school staff will be joining them as they have to adapt to mixed classes and teachers off -

It’s not living with it if schools are open and ofstead won’t attend as it’s not safe for them to do so!

Message your MPs and see if they’ll do a stint in a classroom or Covid ward and they’ll decline as it’s not safe.

@Wizzbangfizz

And it amazes me how many people want to restrict their lives and accept lockdowns and school closures whilst simultaneously ruining the lives of young people and crippling hospitality when we have vaccines and this is as good as it is going to get.

I've done everything that has been asked, and I'm no covid denier or conspiracy theorist. Stop trying to put people in a bubble which matches your narrative.

But nobody does want these things. My children have found these two years very hard, so have I.

It is the very fact you believe other people 'want' these things that suggests you've swallowed a lot of strange messages.

@Wizzbangfizz

And it amazes me how many people want to restrict their lives and accept lockdowns and school closures whilst simultaneously ruining the lives of young people and crippling hospitality when we have vaccines and this is as good as it is going to get.

I've done everything that has been asked, and I'm no covid denier or conspiracy theorist. Stop trying to put people in a bubble which matches your narrative.

I don’t think many people want restrictions the way you describe it (lockdown, closures of hospitality etc…)

I do want PROTECTION measures put in place, for example like Japan has.
Masks on crowded places, the proper FFP2 rather than flimsy cotton.
Ventilation at appropriate levels
CO2 monitors with clear limits to be achieved
HEPA filters & air purifiers
A vaccine that is worth the paper it’s written on. Yes the current one do work. But only for 3 months. No other vaccine that has been approved so far is as bad as that. We need better.
And finally medication (but yes that will take more time).

None of those are restrictions but will help reducing he number if people in hospital as well as the number if people ending up with long covid.

Yes I also want protection measures, particularly ventilation in schools and other vital places. The two polar opposites of lockdown vs. nothing are both undesirable to me. Living with covid means managing it so it can fade into the background more. I am sick of it being so badly managed.

I want more investment in schools and would want nothing more than for the government to fund this - i intend to vote for a government that would do this. But I also accept that that level of investment in schools isn't going to happen or be funded overnight and I feel my children's education is too important to wait for this to happen and that all children should be in school. I won't support any measures which keep them out of it.

The mask debate is lost here (as in England) the majority don't wear them properly, people are not educated on how to use/wear them correctly. The government again won't fund the provision of the proper f ones so again waste of time. I want masks to be a choice not a state mandate.

All children should be in school, but if there’s no staff or a mix of temporary staff or giant bubbles then the kids are being babysat not educated.

Who wouldn’t love some HEPA filters in schools? In an ideal world of course we would support that. But realistically is that going to happen in every school in the next couple of months? I’m not sure what can be done to get the government to invest in schools. Agree it’s a shambles.

But kids need to be in school now. It’s been two years and they’ve sacrificed and missed so much.

I’ve come to the conclusion most of us are going to get Omicron (unless you’re a hermit). Even my 71 year old DM has it (she’s fine). It’s going to be awful and mainly disruptive for the economy/schools/NHS over the next few months I don’t doubt. But going forward this plus vaccines and boosters and we’ll build some good immunity.

We will be exposed to Covid every year. The more we get exposed the more our immune systems will recognise it and fight it. I genuinely believe that this is the way forward. Not trying to suppress it, which is futile and doesn’t work long term. We have to be exposed to it. Letting us all build up immunity like we do with other viruses. Then in the future we won’t all get it at the same time. And it won’t be a novel virus to us.

But we need to accept there’s another virus that will be circulating and causing deaths each year and this will cause pressure in the NHS. The government should be looking at their long term health strategy here.

Totally agree with Delatron - we need to live with this and government need to focus efforts on providing a suitable and robust health service.

@Delatron

Who wouldn’t love some HEPA filters in schools? In an ideal world of course we would support that. But realistically is that going to happen in every school in the next couple of months? I’m not sure what can be done to get the government to invest in schools. Agree it’s a shambles.

But kids need to be in school now. It’s been two years and they’ve sacrificed and missed so much.

I’ve come to the conclusion most of us are going to get Omicron (unless you’re a hermit). Even my 71 year old DM has it (she’s fine). It’s going to be awful and mainly disruptive for the economy/schools/NHS over the next few months I don’t doubt. But going forward this plus vaccines and boosters and we’ll build some good immunity.

We will be exposed to Covid every year. The more we get exposed the more our immune systems will recognise it and fight it. I genuinely believe that this is the way forward. Not trying to suppress it, which is futile and doesn’t work long term. We have to be exposed to it. Letting us all build up immunity like we do with other viruses. Then in the future we won’t all get it at the same time. And it won’t be a novel virus to us.

But we need to accept there’s another virus that will be circulating and causing deaths each year and this will cause pressure in the NHS. The government should be looking at their long term health strategy here.

Yes even my parents who have lived without any Covid / or nearly restrictions for nearly whole time will be exposed to omicron pretty soon. So not just U.K.