So are we encouraged to not test now?

[Wednesdayafternoon]

I am just so confused.

I know LFT are available to buy etc, but is the general consensus that if unwell to not bother testing anymore?

Yes, air filters in offices, shops and schools would be great. I wonder how costly it would be though?

unim

If you can afford it, I would actively encourage anyone to test.

It may be useful to have the proof in case of any future legal action (eg in case there are lasting after-effects from Covid and you need to prove that you had it, or that your workplace or the government were negligent in exposing you to it).

Utterly ridiculous, never read anything so bats. For how long? Sod the environment then too

@KilmordenCastle

I’ve just had covid and it’s awful. Why on earth should I accept getting this again?

What does this mean? It's a virus, you don't get to accept or not accept catching it. People need to start realising that illness is an unavoidable part of life.

This is such a weird way of looking at it - as if we've just given up on protective measures (what the hell, why wear a seatbelt?) and medicine generally (illness is an unavoidable part of life, why treat cancer?).

The point is that we can reduce our chances of illness and injury, and improve our chances of living a long and healthy life. Why wouldn't you want to?

@Bluetowelsandflannels

unim

If you can afford it, I would actively encourage anyone to test.

It may be useful to have the proof in case of any future legal action (eg in case there are lasting after-effects from Covid and you need to prove that you had it, or that your workplace or the government were negligent in exposing you to it).

Utterly ridiculous, never read anything so bats. For how long? Sod the environment then too

Not at all ridiculous - if you get a long-term life-limiting disability and perhaps find it hard to work again, it's well worth considering whether your employer or the government is to blame for being negligent in exposing us all to it.

I fully expect class action law suits in the coming decades - it's already clearly established through research that mild Covid results in permanent cognitive decline, significantly increases your risks of stroke and heart attack in the 18 months after infection (unknown post that), and that the risk of long Covid is relatively high and it can be disabling.

If you are encouraged not to test, you will not have proof of the Covid infection that can cause these things.

It is absolutely worth knowing if you have had Covid, and when, for the record. Testing when actually unwell involves a relatively small amount of plastic compared to the waste that we all generate through our grocery shopping and household products.

@unim are you going to be paying £100 for a PCR every time you’re ill then? I dont think a self administered lft will provide evidence you’ve had it as they’re very easy to fake. And are you going to keep a record of every illness you get considering you can get life long conditions from lots of different viruses? Or are you choosing to stay in forever? You can’t really blame the government for you getting a virus, especially if you choose to leave your house.

[quote Overthebow]@unim are you going to be paying £100 for a PCR every time you’re ill then? I dont think a self administered lft will provide evidence you’ve had it as they’re very easy to fake. And are you going to keep a record of every illness you get considering you can get life long conditions from lots of different viruses? Or are you choosing to stay in forever? You can’t really blame the government for you getting a virus, especially if you choose to leave your house.[/quote]
Of course not! But I think it is worth paying £2 for an LFT so that you know whether you have Covid.

Having data helps you to make decisions.

"You can’t really blame the government for you getting a virus, especially if you choose to leave your house." Pissing myself laughing. I do choose to leave my house, for obvious reasons, but I can still observe that this government's public health messaging has been negligent and has resulted in a significant number of deaths than could have been prevented - and is currently causing what may be a wave of long-term disability, which again could have been prevented, if you look at other countries that have managed this more effectively.

I can't see any class action working - nearly everyone I know has had it now - so post-covid willbe the new normal what ever that looks like!

I won’t be buying tests, I’ll be treating it like any other respiratory virus.

@Duracellbunnywannabe but you don’t need a test to tell you if you don’t feel well?

This is true. But 1/3 of people have covid and no symptoms but they can still spread it to someone who is vulnerable.

@PatientlyWaiting21

I won’t be buying tests, I’ll be treating it like any other respiratory virus.

It isn't a respiratory virus, though - it's a vascular disease that causes neurological damage.

COVID-19 – A vascular disease: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7556303/

Even mild Covid is linked to damage in the brain months later: www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/long-covid-even-mild-covid-linked-damage-brain-months-infection-rcna18959 (you can find the original research paper linked from this news piece about it)

And heart disease risk soars after Covid - even a mild case: www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00403-0

Enjoy your life in your home then @unim

@PatientlyWaiting21

Enjoy your life in your home then *@unim*

Not necessary - I work and socialise with friends. I will just be taking precautions like buying LFT tests, keeping up to date with vaccinations, wearing masks on public transport and indoor settings, and doing my socialising outdoors as much as possible.

I've actually just had Covid mildly, having avoided it for two years.

I'll take reasonable measures to avoid getting it again, and frankly I'd prefer to live somewhere where the government takes more systemic measures to reduce risk, but I still want to live my life and for my kids to enjoy theirs too - we'll just do what's in our control to reduce risk where we can.

@Cheesechips

I didn't know people were still routinely testing! It has to stop at some point. It's costing the government billions for a virus that barely has symptoms anymore, even for many vulnerable people. We have a few if we need them but I won't be using them unless asked. Think of all the used tests now in landfill for thousands of years, and the amounts you see chucked in the street. The stopping of routine tests will be much better for the environment.

I wouldn't say that people barely got symptoms, some are becoming very ill, and the long term effects of the virus are not yet clear. There are thousands of people with long Covid who can hardly function after a year.

Like the OP, I am not sure about the message. It seems that everything is voluntary and if you can afford it.

I'm just hoping that school holidays and Easter when people have fewer contacts will reduce the spread.

The amount of plastic in my weekly supermarket trolley is far far more than a few lateral flow tests. I really think most people just trot out this phrase about LFT and plastic as an excuse because they don’t agree with them.

@JS87

The amount of plastic in my weekly supermarket trolley is far far more than a few lateral flow tests. I really think most people just trot out this phrase about LFT and plastic as an excuse because they don’t agree with them.

That may be the case but lateral flow tests are something more easily avoided than packing on food shopping.

@JS87

The amount of plastic in my weekly supermarket trolley is far far more than a few lateral flow tests. I really think most people just trot out this phrase about LFT and plastic as an excuse because they don’t agree with them.

Completely agree. There is so much unnecessary use of plastic in our society, eg disposable cups, disposable cutlery, apples sold in a pack of four covered in cling film etc etc. Why home in on plastic use in the context of lateral flow tests which do actually serve a useful purpose?

@SaxendaSummer

why test when theres no requirement to isolate?

its got to end at some point

Because Wo testing we will have no idea if a new variant of concern is starting and we will have no stats to know if it’s more contagious or more severe than the previous variants. Basically we will back to March 2020 when we will have no clue (and we will have to just hope the vaccines are holding against said variant)

It's pretty clear there's no consensus on the issue of testing, as can be seen from the many different responses on this thread! I shall personally test if I get symptoms. I am able to work from home if necessary and my work's policy is that people should not come into the office if they have Covid. I also plan to continue testing before seeing elderly family members. I currently still have some free LFTs at home, but will buy more if necessary.

My school is nuts as they've asked for a positive LFT to be followed up by a PCR????

This was in the end of term letter on Friday.

I get they had to say something, but why not just say they'll await the new guidance and keep us posted?

They didn't ask for positive LFT to be followed up with PCRs when my DC1 had it in January?

Someone has got the wrong end of the stick with this info?

There is so much unnecessary use of plastic in our society, eg disposable cups, disposable cutlery, apples sold in a pack of four covered in cling film etc etc.

Terrible yes. Although thankfully increasingly cups, cutlery are made from wood.

So let's not make it worse with LTF tests - so many little plastic bags and bits...

I’m sure LFTs could be made with less plastic - a bit like those cheap pregnancy test strips you get on eBay.

@Crunchymum

My school is nuts as they've asked for a positive LFT to be followed up by a PCR????

This was in the end of term letter on Friday.

I get they had to say something, but why not just say they'll await the new guidance and keep us posted?

They didn't ask for positive LFT to be followed up with PCRs when my DC1 had it in January?

Someone has got the wrong end of the stick with this info?

They have totally got the wrong end of the stick - PCRs won't be available to the general public.

They'll have to send another letter once they figure it out...!