Community testing


In addition to his announcements in the Commons about the Covid Winter Plan (see previous post) the Prime Minister also today announced a major new community testing programme for areas that are placed into the ‘very high alert’ category, offering them a route out of the toughest restrictions and helping identify more infections so that we can reduce the spread of the virus.

  • The Liverpool mass community programme has seen over 200,000 people being tested and, alongside economic and social restrictions, has contributed to a substantial fall in coronavirus cases in that area. 
     
  • As we return to a regional tiered system on 2 December, local leaders in areas which are placed in tier 3 will be given additional support to deliver their own extensive community testing programmes, giving those communities a direct route out of the toughest restrictions.
     
  • Backed by an additional £7 billion – taking total support for NHS track and trace to £22 billion – the government will also expand rapid testing to cut the length of time someone has to isolate for if they come into contact with someone testing positive by offering them repeat tests. This will provide certainty, enabling people to go about their lives, and also enable more people to visit their loved ones in care homes, should rapid testing pilots in the next few weeks go well. 
     
  • Britain is not out of the woods yet. The virus is still present in communities across the country, and remains both far more infectious and far more deadly than seasonal flu. But with expansion in testing and vaccines edging closer to deployment, the regional tiered system will help get the virus back under control and keep it there.

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