So happy tests are to be axed

[Wizzbangfizz]

So according to reports they are going to stop handing out LFT and will be stopping mass testing - this is excellent news for both the tax payer and the environment and surely marks a clear path this whole thing becoming endemic

Or...

How about she pays for it herself?

@ilovesooty

Well a new client of mine who I was due to meet tomorrow has tested positive this afternoon. She sent me a photo - very strong positive. Without testing how would either of us have known?

Pretty sure you’ll still be able to purchase one if either of you want to. I don’t think they are going to be made illegal.

@HappyGreen

All the lft tells me is whether I have covid or not

No they don't. They tell you if you've been exposed to the virus Sars Cov 2. Not everyone exposed to the virus will go on to develop covid. You cannot spread covid as its a collection of symptoms that only some people will develop after exposure.
Those testing positive with no symptoms do not 'have covid'.

Very good point. Anyway - lack of free LFDs and lack of requirement for follow up PCR will now mean the end of incessant case counting / reporting. No point as will be completely inaccurate. It's the beginning of the end of this chapter. Isolation rules will go next. I think there will be a proportion of people who for wherever reason, will never ever get their head around 'living with Covid'

Well a new client of mine who I was due to meet tomorrow has tested positive this afternoon. She sent me a photo - very strong positive. Without testing how would either of us have known?

If it's so important to you or your client to know, then feel free to purchase a test. That will give you the peace of mind you seem to need!

@southeastdweller

Or...

How about she pays for it herself?

Or just like me, she will now stockpile them. Off to get some today, will do the same tomorrow.

@Wizzbangfizz

It isn't personal joy and as I've already said it marks a move towards stepping away from this collective madness and hysteria. Any small step is to be applauded in my view. We are in a hugely different place from where we were and thank god for the Tory backbenchers preventing further restrictions.

And as for the testing advice - there is quite a lot of health advice people don't follow - not to drink too much/smoke/eat processed meat. I'll assess my own risk and act accordingly.

If there is one attitude in this Pandemic that I despise wholly it's the 'I'll assess my own risk' one. If I eat too much, drink too much or smoke then the risk is largely to me. In a global health crisis 'you do you & I'll do me' largely means 'I don't care about anyone except myself' & I don't care what effect my behaviour has on others.

Or just like me, she will now stockpile them. Off to get some today, will do the same tomorrow.

Nice. Nothing like thinking of other people who might need them. Not sure why you’d broadcast this.

@RoyalFamilyFan just like me, she will now stockpile them. Off to get some today, will do the same tomorrow.
Well that's truly meets the criteria for the use of 'selfish' that's always said. So tough luck everyone else then?

Why tough luck? Anyone else can get them too.
But I test before meeting a vulnerable parent and before meeting a friend with cancer. I am giving her lifts to hospital appointments next week so need to test before these.
Why would I not get them free while I can?

@Blubells

Well a new client of mine who I was due to meet tomorrow has tested positive this afternoon. She sent me a photo - very strong positive. Without testing how would either of us have known?

If it's so important to you or your client to know, then feel free to purchase a test. That will give you the peace of mind you seem to need!

I will purchase tests if I have to.

Unfortunately I think many people won't, either because they won't be able to afford to, or because they don't have any concept of social responsibility.

I will test tomorrow as I have a chiropody appointment in a small room. Seems sensible to me. Not today as I'm just visiting a friend and neither of us have been anywhere since we saw one another on Friday night.

I hope that they are provided free to employers in those areas described as 'high risk' (e.g. healthcare, education, care) as it would be typical if the Government decreed that those places must not only continue to use them, but must also pay for them directly (see: PPE; ventilation; heating; cleaning equipment and cleaners; hand sanitiser - all mandated, none funded).

On a personal level, I will pay for tests to take in addition to a period of isolation before visiting my elderly parents. I am really lucky that I can afford to do so - why should the elderly / vulnerable / immunocompromised relatives of those who are not able to afford this suffer higher risk?

I will only pay for tests if I really have to. Prices of food and bills are rising, NI is due to increase, I have less money in real terms than I used to. So no I am not happy to say pay a £10 every time I go to see my parent or my friend with cancer.

If there is one attitude in this Pandemic that I despise wholly it's the 'I'll assess my own risk' one. If I eat too much, drink too much or smoke then the risk is largely to me. In a global health crisis 'you do you & I'll do me' largely means 'I don't care about anyone except myself' & I don't care what effect my behaviour has on others.

That’s not really true. The best thing any of us can do for the greater good in this country right now is keep ourselves out of hospital, and eating badly, smoking, driving, doing risky sports etc could mean anyone needs help from the nhs. Should everyone stop doing everything for the sake of strangers who are perfectly capable of making their own choices? How far do you want to take it?

At some point, the tide turns, and the people who are really only thinking of themselves are the ones trying to curtail other people’s normal lives.

If there is one attitude in this Pandemic that I despise wholly it's the 'I'll assess my own risk' one. If I eat too much, drink too much or smoke then the risk is largely to me. In a global health crisis 'you do you & I'll do me' largely means 'I don't care about anyone except myself' & I don't care what effect my behaviour has on others.

So you expect everyone to, for example, wear masks and social distance forever? What is it you want? @luckylavender

@DoThePropeller

Times leading on it here; End of free lateral flow tests as country told to live with Covid

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/81d3901a-70a6-11ec-9b00-681c4404af37?shareToken=b8ab165a6f9aa158b572c08c79b11943

I think it makes sense although not sure where it leaves vulnerable people and their visitors.

Fucked us where it leaves us!!

I was one of the 'shielding' still getting letters to say how vulnerable I am & to take precautions etc.

No one testing & no isolating if people have covid is a real danger to many of us.

I do all I can to avoid getting it, but people not testing & going out & about spreading it about, is a real risk to many of us.

Who said anything about forever?

I do think that those who can should wear a mask while the mitigating measures are in place, and I would like them to remain in place until Spring.

@HappyGreen what do you mean by you can’t spread COVID?

@southeastdweller

If there is one attitude in this Pandemic that I despise wholly it's the 'I'll assess my own risk' one. If I eat too much, drink too much or smoke then the risk is largely to me. In a global health crisis 'you do you & I'll do me' largely means 'I don't care about anyone except myself' & I don't care what effect my behaviour has on others.

So you expect everyone to, for example, wear masks and social distance forever? What is it you want? @luckylavender

Of course not forever. But history tells us how long pandemics generally last & pretending it's now endemic will not influence the virus one jot. As for masks, I think they have a place in society during winter months, just as we have seen in SE Asia for many years. I realise this is a desperately unpopular opinion for many people who equate mask wearing with curtailing of freedoms somehow. I'm not having a pop at the genuinely mask exempt.

@RoyalFamilyFan

I will only pay for tests if I really have to. Prices of food and bills are rising, NI is due to increase, I have less money in real terms than I used to. So no I am not happy to say pay a £10 every time I go to see my parent or my friend with cancer.

I would resent paying for LFTs that are not actually accurate enough to confirm you 100% have covid.

They’re fine to be given away - we have paid for them as taxpayers - I would resent paying a firm for a test that may tell me if I have covid.

With any luck they will lift the remaining restrictions fairly rapidly & cut isolation.

I have to smile when some people take the righteous “I’m thinking of everyone, not just myself stance” about vaccines when what they’re really subconsciously thinking is; if I get ill, there better be a hospital bed available for me and not occupied by some selfish git who didn’t bother getting their jab. Personally, and I’ll put my hands straight up, I had my jab because I don’t want to get ill and I want to be able to travel - not because of any virtuous social guilt.

The same with the sudden attack of the consciousness about vulnerable/immuno compromised individuals. Who worried about wearing masks before covid? Did anyone ever think, “I might potentially be a flu carrier so I’ll put in a face covering because you never know, the person next to me on the bus might be recovering from cancer” Absolutely any infection has a risk of killing that particular group but did we put the world on hold before?

Who worried about wearing masks before covid? Did anyone ever think, “I might potentially be a flu carrier so I’ll put in a face covering because you never know, the person next to me on the bus might be recovering from cancer”

Probably not many people.

Can somebody who is excited tell me why this is good news? Is it a tax thing?

No, it's a "beginning of the end" thing.

If people have to pay they will stop buying them, numbers of recorded infections will diminish, so then will isolations and we can get back to "normality".
Yes, people will now die of covid/with covid along with the multitude of other things people die of/with.

It's sad but guess what? We all have to die of something - it would be great if we could all die comfortably in our sleep aged 110, but that's not realistic.

@2389Champ

I have to smile when some people take the righteous “I’m thinking of everyone, not just myself stance” about vaccines when what they’re really subconsciously thinking is; if I get ill, there better be a hospital bed available for me and not occupied by some selfish git who didn’t bother getting their jab. Personally, and I’ll put my hands straight up, I had my jab because I don’t want to get ill and I want to be able to travel - not because of any virtuous social guilt.

The same with the sudden attack of the consciousness about vulnerable/immuno compromised individuals. Who worried about wearing masks before covid? Did anyone ever think, “I might potentially be a flu carrier so I’ll put in a face covering because you never know, the person next to me on the bus might be recovering from cancer” Absolutely any infection has a risk of killing that particular group but did we put the world on hold before?

Because this isn’t the flu.

Because covid is a much greater risk.

Honestly, did you pay attention in 2020?

Can somebody who is excited tell me why this is good news? Is it a tax thing?

Because the costs of these tests (in terms of costs of production, distribution, the costs on the environment of all the disposable plastic etc) are higher than the benefits right now.