Free PCRs only likely for a max of another 6 weeks

[RedToothBrush]

www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/11/uk-treasury-pushes-to-end-most-free-covid-testing-despite-experts-warnings

Several sources told the Guardian that Rishi Sunak’s department wants to end most PCR testing for people with Covid symptoms, possibly by the end of March. The exception would be those in hospitals, high-risk settings and for the 1.3m extremely vulnerable people who are eligible for antivirals if they contract Covid.

Under the plans, everyone else with symptoms would be either given some free lateral flow tests or no testing at all. A third option would be restricting the offer of lateral flows to symptomatic people over 50 and the clinically vulnerable. The advice for people without symptoms to take routine lateral flow tests is expected to be scrapped entirely.

and

However, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has been urging caution within the government and has been pushing to keep existing testing arrangements in place until at least 1 April.

Newsflash: not everyone has the same amount of disposable income.

Well sure, so they'll be in the same position as people in all the other countries where they were never free. Has anyone identified another country that gave them out without charge?

@TheKeatingFive

People have been saying those who are CEV/otherwise vulnerable need to keep themselves safe but a big part of this has been others being able to do an LFT before meeting them. That will become a lot harder if they are no longer free.

Well presumably they will be able to pay for them.

The U.K. is the only country I know of that made LFTs free in the first place. They were never free in ROI (or France or Spain from what I've read on here).

I think they were free because they ordered a shit tonne which weren’t deemed that accurate, so they shipped them out to get rid of them.

I wouldn’t be happy paying for them when they’re not wholly accurate (some of the later versions are better quality).

I think they were free because they ordered a shit tonne which weren’t deemed that accurate, so they shipped them out to get rid of them.

Have you a source for that?

The adverts on the London Underground for PCR tests for travel are from the company that paid Owen Paterson for lobbying.

Of course any suggestion this may influence government policy will be denied.

So surely if you don’t. Red to isolate what is the point of testing?

If you want to take tests to meet people and take a test beforehand that is fine but should it really be free? From what I can understand most other countries don’t make them free of charge but anything health wise some people clearly seem to think should be at no cost to them.

And for anyone who wants to take a PCR and pay for it there are tons of companies who will do one for you.

Isn’t a PCR a bit over the top for a visit though?

@TheKeatingFive

Newsflash: not everyone has the same amount of disposable income.

Well sure, so they'll be in the same position as people in all the other countries where they were never free. Has anyone identified another country that gave them out without charge?

Don't change your argument now! - you said people could pay for them, I merely pointed out that those who most need them are most at risk of not being able to afford them.

UK has one of the worst benefits/sick pay systems in Europe with very high inequality, so it will be hard for people at the bottom of the income spectrum to afford them here.

Yes because isolation is ending so it won't mean anything anyway

@Franklin12

So surely if you don’t. Red to isolate what is the point of testing?

If you want to take tests to meet people and take a test beforehand that is fine but should it really be free? From what I can understand most other countries don’t make them free of charge but anything health wise some people clearly seem to think should be at no cost to them.

At present most European countries are keeping PCRs though, there seems to be some confusion on this thread between LFTs and PCRs.

All of Europe has made PCRs free haven't they? It is the first line of defence.

Also you can get seen by an actual human doctor in many countries! An increasingly novel concept here.

The majority of people don't need to know what kind of sniffles they have. If someone is actually unwell and vulnerable, that information becomes now becomes useful for treatment. Most illnesses are self-limiting and people tend to reduce their activities the worse they feel.

I don't know if I've ever had flu. I've had bad cold type illnesses that have kept me home for a few days, and under the weather for longer. I only know that I've had cryptosporidium because I contacted the GP after over a week when self care methods were failing, and a sample was requested. By the time that was known, my body had finally dealt with it and the only benefit was that Public Health England got a tracing questionnaire sent back to them.

If my calendar had filled differently at Christmas, I could happily have shared Covid unknowingly with a clear concience and clear LFTs. They didn't go positive until the day after my throat went scratchy and even then, one type that I used first, the last of our throat and nose showed a faint positive and the nose only pack was clear. Testing has never been a fool-proof protection anyway. A useful filter, but not a guarenteed protection. It's also expensive, but the NHS has spared us from seeing that direct cost compared to many other countries.

In Scotland, PCR testers have had their contracts extended until September and the private sites until next March. They are still recruiting and training new people.

@Finfintytint

In Scotland, PCR testers have had their contracts extended until September and the private sites until next March. They are still recruiting and training new people.

This is interesting!

England is looking wackier and wackier I think.

All of Europe has made PCRs free haven't they?

In ROI, technically yes, but people can't get them now because the numbers are so high. So everyone's dependent on antigen (which is how they're referred to here), which you pay for.

but I think the government is wrong to be getting rid of the ONS infection survey at this point.

I think your post makes a lot of sense except this last point. If the government stop funding tests then how will the ONS survey work without data? So it makes no sense to carry on

@roses2

but I think the government is wrong to be getting rid of the ONS infection survey at this point.

I think your post makes a lot of sense except this last point. If the government stop funding tests then how will the ONS survey work without data? So it makes no sense to carry on

Well I think they should fund PCRs for the ONS survey just as they still fund PCRs for some groups and for use within the NHS. AFAIK they are almost certainly keeping them for various groups dependent on underlying conditions or age which makes sense.

Lots of things are tracked (like flu) - we just don’t hear much about the tracking and genome sequencing that is going on in the background - and I think this should continue for Covid also. Living with Covid and getting rid of all restrictions / isolations (which I am generally in favour of) shouldn’t mean pretending it doesn’t exist.
If they think they don’t need the survey in order to track CV accurately enough and data gather then fine, but I’ve seen enough people call for it to remain to worry that getting rid of it is a bit premature.

Isn't the end of March and the 1st April essentially the same?

The free mass testing needs to stop, a good proportion is totally unnecessary.

My DD has symptoms of Covid - a cough, headache and a cold but every single test LFT she has done comes up negative. She has done 10 over the last few days and not even a feint line. Two of her friends currently have covid. Do we presume this is right or does she need a PCR. NHS website says she doesn't need a PCR if LFT is negative. My dad says she needs to get a PCR before school tomorrow so she doesnt put others at risk! So confused.

vbn, I thought if you have any covid symptom then you should get a pcr. So with because your daughter has a cough she should get a pcr.

@countrylady2

What happens if in a few months someone catches Covid and is off sick recovering and an employer requires a PCR test, who will pay for this? My employer won't accept a Lateral Flow Test on it's own as proof of Covid as they think people are faking it unless PCR backs it up. Yet friends in the Civil Service have said they only have to submit a Lateral Flow Test.

You just go into work....same as you would with a cold.....if you are sicker than this then you stay at home...just follow your sickness policy at work..... you won’t need pcr tests as they won’t be mandatory

@vbnm89

My DD has symptoms of Covid - a cough, headache and a cold but every single test LFT she has done comes up negative. She has done 10 over the last few days and not even a feint line. Two of her friends currently have covid. Do we presume this is right or does she need a PCR. NHS website says she doesn't need a PCR if LFT is negative. My dad says she needs to get a PCR before school tomorrow so she doesnt put others at risk! So confused.

She has a cough therefore should go for a pcr, which she is eligible for.

What happens if in a few months someone catches Covid and is off sick recovering and an employer requires a PCR test

Employers won't ask for any tests. Just like they don't ask for a test that you've got flu or a cold!

Don't change your argument now! - you said people could pay for them, I merely pointed out that those who most need them are most at risk of not being able to afford them.

Sorry, just saw this.

I'm not changing my argument. It becomes a question of priority like everything else in life.

I find the expectation of asymptotic testing for free a bit odd really. And I still haven't heard of a country other than the U.K. that offered them. It certainly wasn't standard.

We will stop testing all together and get on with life. We can’t test forever. We didn’t ever test for flu!

@KatyRebecca84

We will stop testing all together and get on with life. We can’t test forever. We didn’t ever test for flu!

1) We are already getting on with life 2) We could test forever, if we wanted to 3) Covid is nothing like fucking flu

Apart from that I agree with you entirely.

You just go into work....same as you would with a cold

Wonder how this is going to affect schools. School staff are already at a raised risk. If you can get Omnicron more than once then what will happen?