Temporarily ending PCR tests for asymptotic Covid cases 'makes sense' says UEA Epidemiologist
The changes have been made due to how prevalent coronavirus currently is in the community
Temporarily ending the need for people with asymptotic Covid cases to confirm their condition by getting a PCR test, is a 'smart move' and 'makes sense'.
That's according to Professor Paul Hunter an epidemiologist from the University of East Anglia.
He says the current high levels of cases, means Lateral Flow Tests are very likely to be accurate:
"If Covid is uncommon in the rest of society then probably any positive is quite likely to be a false positive. But when you get to the situation we're in where there's so much infection around in society, the vast majority of positives via lateral flows are likely to be actual positives.
The value of confirming when there's lots of Covid around is minimal, but when case numbers and infections rates drop to low levels again, then many and possibly most positives by lateral flows are likely to be false positives. Then there's a need to confirm".
He went on to say that the decision's supported by how effective the vaccines have been:
"Although immunity to infection has not been translated as well to Omicron as we would have liked, immunity to severe disease has carried across quite effectively. So that's why we're seeing rather more mild infections in people, then what was the case".
He says the decision's an indicator that the plan is to live with the virus:
"It's plausible that we could be there this year, it depends on how much Omicron really impacts us over the next couple of months. But ultimately that's what we've got to do, we cannot in ten years time still have a huge testing procedure for Covid or isolate people simply because they have caught the virus".