Coronavirus update - NO MORE RESTRICTIONS

[jon1959]

Good to hear , fingers crossed , got to get back to footy and pubs and music gigs , its interesting they say we may not have enough cases to test in the UK .

It was one thing the government chucked money at very early on "" £65.5 million of new funding for the vaccine being developed at the University of Oxford as coronavirus ...""

We should be random testing, not just testing people who report they have symptoms. We have no idea who is asymptomatic with the virus or is virus free. We have a limited idea of who has the virus with symptoms. And a week later the picture will have changed. The testing should be about mapping the presence of the virus in the whole population, not just a yes/no on the relatively few people who self refer.

[CCFCC3PO]

We should be random testing, not just testing people who report they have symptoms. We have no idea who is asymptomatic with the virus or is virus free. We have a limited idea of who has the virus with symptoms. And a week later the picture will have changed. The testing should be about mapping the presence of the virus in the whole population, not just a yes/no on the relatively few people who self refer.

Completely agree although, to be fair, care workers and NHS staff are now getting tested routinely - so that will provide some valuable data about infection rates.

[xsnaggle]

We should be random testing, not just testing people who report they have symptoms. We have no idea who is asymptomatic with the virus or is virus free. We have a limited idea of who has the virus with symptoms. And a week later the picture will have changed. The testing should be about mapping the presence of the virus in the whole population, not just a yes/no on the relatively few people who self refer.

But anyone can go and get a test. you can walk up register and get tested. how more random can you get?

[CCFCC3PO]

But anyone can go and get a test. you can walk up register and get tested. how more random can you get?

Walk up to where?

[xsnaggle]

Walk up to where?

A test centre, but drive up would be more correct.

[CCFCC3PO]

A test centre, but drive up would be more correct.

Really?

https://gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-test - seems to contradict you.

[jon1959]

But anyone can go and get a test. you can walk up register and get tested. how more random can you get?

I didn't know that was on offer across the UK - or that there are enough test centres in places everyone can access to allow it to happen - but even if it is it should be something led (messages from the top, co-ordination with local councils and services, mobile test centres in residential areas and workplaces) by the government not left to Joe and Jane to decide it is something they want to do.

I think I am right in saying that some countries (South Korea, Taiwan...?) got very close to regular testing of their whole populations and were able to scale back once they knew what was really happening with the virus.