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

@Joystir59

I thought the suggestion was to stop FREE LFTs. That people will still have to do them but pay for them.

Do you really think most people will pay for one? I won’t. So if I feel a bit rough, have a bit of a cough, etc I’ll just carry on. I’ll go to work, go to the gym, etc. 🤷‍♀️

Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy with carrying on as normal with no testing when I have a cough. But I reckon a lot of people won’t be.

@CovidCorvid

Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy with carrying on as normal with no testing when I have a cough. But I reckon a lot of people won’t be.

This wouldn't apply anyway as with a cough you would PCR. Unless we also do away with symptomatic PCR testing. Which seems mad at the moment.

The government needs to articulate a plan.

The problem is they don't have one! The plan was 'vaccinate, move on' and it failed/got scuppered due to the virus reneging on its side of the bargain.

@Onehotmessiah

It’s also not true and has caused a run on tests again. The ridiculous political one up man ship and the media have a lot to answer for.

What do you mean by not true - do you think it won’t happen?

I don't actually think this is a bad thing
I'm a small employer and the staff we have are so worried about Covid they are testing on a daily basis. They don't need to. The government doesn't advise it. But they're doing it to be safe.

I will reserve judgement to see how expensive the tests are before I decide my opinion though. I'd happily pay £3-5 for a test before I go to visit my granny. The staff I employ could afford that. But it would stop them testing daily unnecessarily.

I'm a teacher so will have to continue to take tests but my class won't ..... The are primary age so I will be teaching unvaccinated children who could be asymptomatic and wouldn't know because they can no longer access tests. I will have to test so presumably isolate if I have a positive result.... There will be no teachers left! Madness.

Oh that’s true, I’d forgotten about PCR tests! Duh. Saying that I think a lot of people won’t bother……if they have to drive/walk some distance to a centre they won’t do it. I live in a rural county and for some people it’ll be some distance to a testing centre. Someone in a gym class yesterday had symptoms, hadn’t a pcr but said they’d had a negative lft. Was getting grief from other people but flat out said she didn’t have time to get a pcr. 🤷‍♀️

The environmental aspect of LFTs is a red herring.

In comparison to things like nappies, plastic bottles that are sent abroad rather than recycled, general waste LFTs are minimal

Bully for you

@Joystir59

I thought the suggestion was to stop FREE LFTs. That people will still have to do them but pay for them.

Those that have to do them for their job can surely get them from their employer.

But it will mean that all those that take them everyday or multiple times a day will have to pay. This will stop a lot of waste as I see all the time on here 'why don't you test to leave the house as they are free' followed by how selfish everyone is

[quote crosbystillsandmash]@chaosrabbitland
I really do think you're in the wrong job, your lack of both knowledge and outstanding.

I'm also irritated with the weird gaps you leave between commas and questions marks, I hope you don't do that at work [/quote]
im quite happy in my job on the whole , but the lateral flow tests and lack on thm has turned people into moaning hysterics and it does my mind in , and sorry about my grammer , diagnosed with dyslexia in junior school ,but its clear that you have a lack on knowledge yourself , as what on earth makes you think retail involves writing much, im not typing out a short essay to each customer i serve ya know , the last time i wrote something was filling out a holiday request form 3 weeks ago , and before that cant even remember could be months or even years lol

So if we don't test covid will just go away... great news for the elderly, vulnerable, those on chemotherapy etc

Some people would be pleased if all the CEV caught it and died, from reading some posts here.

Selfish fuckers.

If you work in a care home or school etc you still have to test.

What will happen in countries like Wales and Scotland where the government advice is to test before any indoor social encounter such as shopping? Poor people won't be able to afford the tests

I hope they are going to provide schools with them then, because they stopped giving my school tests last July.

@the80sweregreat

If you work in a care home or school etc you still have to test.

But primary children, who are basically the largest unvaccinated group in the UK, will continue to have covid asymptomatically enmasse and make their poor unprotected teachers and classmates ill.

Although I agree partly with this I think it's complete insanity to abandon all testing now when the figures are so high and hospitals regularly declaring critical incidents. So many people too are unvaccinated and vulnerable. Many people who have been vaccinated are CEV so I feel that they've been thrown to the wolves now.

So much for 'phasing' out testing.

I wish people would stop going on about how we aren't looking out for the vulnerable. My 90 year old neighbour is seriously ill in hospital right now with a cold, just a bog standard cold, that has got onto the only lung he has left. He's not caught Covid once, despite still going out weekly to do his shopping, having carers in his house every day, seeing his friends regularly. It's a sodding cold that has landed him in hospital.
People need to realise that Covid is not the be all and end all of viruses. There will always be new ones popping up, and there always have been, and there will always be people vulnerable to those viruses. We can't get rid of it. We need a healthcare system that can stand up to the strain (which it currently would of we didn't have mass absences) and good treatments (which we are getting there with).

@Isitschool

I don't know if I'm being thick or not. But why are people going on about the environment? Yes I agree the tests probably are not great for the environment. But I bet half the people saying this drive cars. And the lateral flow tests are needed so we know if we have it or not and don't put others at risk.

Anyway I thought it way the PCR test they were stopping ? They are keeping the lateral flow tests. If that's positive then you don't need to confirm with the PCR . That was my understanding anyway

They are telling people not to take PCRs anymore if they test positive for Covid but are asymptomatic. There is speculation that in a few weeks or months time they also stop with the free lateral flow tests though they will still be available to buy. Or given free to people working in hospitals, care homes & schools

Good news!

A quick Google identifies that this was first raised last July and again in September with the intention of removing free testing when covid was more stable in the community. It was paused for omicron.

There are no other details as yet on pricing or which groups will still get free tests.

@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

You can't make it endemic because that's what you want. Testing is very important for sequencing and detecting new variants. But celebrate away.

@Exhausteddog

I think that will be combined within a few weeks, they will cut isolation to 7 days per se, rather than dependent on 2 negative lateral flows. (If lfts aren't widely available)

I read yesterday (can't remember where) that some in government want isolation cut to 5 days.

You can't make it endemic because that's what you want. Testing is very important for sequencing and detecting new variants. But celebrate away.

They don't conduct sequencing on LFTs, neither do they detect new variants.