The withdrawal of subsidized tests and the requirement of certificates in some establishments finishes off the plan to “live with covid”
The decision of the British Government to eliminate, as of this Friday, free tests as part of its plan to “live with covid” has created some contrary reactions among Pandemic experts. The Ministry of Health has refused to publish the amount saved with this measure, alleging at the request of the Liberal Democrats that the commercial information is confidential.
The end of free tests for the entire public and the requirement for vaccination certificates in some establishments are the final link in the plan, in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are moving more slowly in the same direction. The tests, available until now in pharmacies, libraries, medical offices,… encouraged those who were positive to isolate themselves. The Government hopes that the population will be responsible without the endorsement of the test.
The CEO of the Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Jenny Harries, has recalled that the pandemic is not over and that covid poses risks, particularly as cases increase. For this reason, she recommends – changing the tone used in February – that people wear masks in closed spaces, keep them ventilated and separate from others if they have symptoms.
divergences
The figures for the whole of the United Kingdom, updated to this Wednesday, give a figure of 535,248 positives in the previous seven days, including March 30. On some days, the number of positives has matched those of the recent peak, in January as a result of the rapid expansion of the Omicron variant. But the curve, down 12.6% from the previous week, points down.
The pattern is recognizable with respect to other episodes of the pandemic. The January peak was passed and the increase from around 33,000 positives has occurred in apparent correlation with the removal of restrictions at the end of February. Now the positives decrease again, but deaths increase by 21.3% (1,097 in one week) and hospitalizations by 11.6% (15,906).
A member of the government’s scientific advisory committee, Matt Keeling, warns in the ‘Daily Mail’ that, “with the withdrawal of free tests, the population’s ability to assess and respond to the risk of infection is lost.” Others point to a lack of protection when new variants emerge. Epidemiologists who support official policy rely on the barrier raised by vaccines and antibodies to avoid a hospital crisis, and believe that the information is enough for people to decide their behavior.
