Government are going to stop giving out LFT’s.

Josieann

So if we know this in advance that is a good thing. The new green boxes contain 20 tests. Using say one or two two a week this brings us nearly to the beginning of April. That should cover people visiting family or going to an appointment for a good few months, then it will be spring time hopefully along with some respite from the virus.. Even teacher DD currently only tests twice a week and if folk are testing more than this, then that sounds like paranoia. I do think they should be free for NHS staff.

Unfortunately I have to test more frequently than twice a week, I have to rest every time I go to visit my mum in her care home. But I can do the test there using the kits they have so won’t need to stockpile!

MayBee70

But it isn’t just about numbers etc. Isn’t it about giving us the means to protect ourselves and those around us in certain situations ( eg me meeting up with my family). And it will mean that will only be possible for people that can afford to buy the tests.

Quite.

My partner and I are both CEV. We already see very few people because of that - limiting our visitors to a cleaning lady, gardener and friend who does our IT stuff.

My cleaning lady recently tested positive and was asymptomatic. Without the test, this could have been disastrous for us, who knows.

I rather resent the attitude from some that we're obsessed with testing. We are not. I get on with life and don't think about the virus from one day to the next often avoiding the news because I want to focus on other things.

But I want to protect myself and my partner and, at the moment, the LFTs are what we have as the only means of protection. I don't go out unless absolutely necessary for medical / dental appointments, and I'm not complaining about it, it's my problem and I don't expect others to have to accommodate me - those few that do visit are quite happy to take the test prior.

One size does not fit all.

X posts

I find this nit picky debate a bit useless. If the death certificate gives a cause of death as covid, then that's what killed them, not the other 'condition' they may have had.

I agree. Some people can live for years with 'conditions' and could have a fairly normal lifespan if they hadn't caught Covid.

If they fell under the bus in their way to hospital for treatment for their condition, it would be the accident that killed them.

Joesoap

I think it is wonderful in the UK having free LFT kits, but I dont agree with people stockpiling. People should test if they have symptoms why do it otherwise no wonder there arent enough test kits to go around.
Where we live we have to pay the equivalant of £6 for one, no stockpiling here,and no unnecessary testing either,we live in Scandinavia that says it all.

No, they shouldn't use a LFT if they have symptoms. They should arrange for a PCR test. LFTs are for diagnosing people who are asymptomatic before they transmit it to somebody else.

Totally agree.

Pittcity

The reported deaths are people who die WITH Covid not necessarily OF Covid. There is a big difference. I'd like to know how many of those people would've died of something else anyway.

We need to learn not to press on if we are feeling ill and stay at home even if it's "just a cold" for everybody's sake.

No, there isn't a big difference. People with some medical conditions and terminal illnesses are at higher risk of death, but it's Covid which is killing them, not their underlying condition. They could have lived for many more months or years.

MaizieD

Pittcity

The reported deaths are people who die WITH Covid not necessarily OF Covid. There is a big difference. I'd like to know how many of those people would've died of something else anyway.

We need to learn not to press on if we are feeling ill and stay at home even if it's "just a cold" for everybody's sake.

A lot of people have co-morbidities which are not life threatening. Would they have 'died anyway' if they had say, asthma, diabetes, obesity, angina? I suspect that the number who had a terminal condition as well as covid is probably very small.

I find this nit picky debate a bit useless. If the death certificate gives a cause of death as covid, then that's what killed them, not the other 'condition' they may have had.

I agree. I can't understand why people fall for it, unless they're in denial about how deadly Covid is - and then I struggle to understand why they wouldn't want to know the truth.

Oldnproud

Joesoap

I think it is wonderful in the UK having free LFT kits, but I dont agree with people stockpiling. People should test if they have symptoms why do it otherwise no wonder there arent enough test kits to go around.
Where we live we have to pay the equivalant of £6 for one, no stockpiling here,and no unnecessary testing either,we live in Scandinavia that says it all.

You say "People should test if they have symptomswhy do it otherwise no wonder there arent enough test kits to go around."

But that's exactly what LFTs are for - they are there to detect asymptomatic infections and help prevent the spread of the virus by people who would otherwise not know that they are carrying it!
You are not meant to use them if you actually have covid symptoms- that is what PCRs are for.

It's difficult to understand why that message hasn't got through.

MayBee70

But it isn’t just about numbers etc. Isn’t it about giving us the means to protect ourselves and those around us in certain situations ( eg me meeting up with my family). And it will mean that will only be possible for people that can afford to buy the tests.

Exactly!

tidyskatemum

For heaven’s sake. This country is obsessed with testing and it hasn’t resulted in fewer infections/deaths than similar countries with far less testing, has it? We have reached the stage where covid is endemic and all the continual testing without good cause is a pointless waste of money.

Endemic it might be, but that still doesn't mean I don't want to test myself when it's prudent to do so. I haven't religiously tested twice a week because I can sometimes go for a week without leaving the house. My partner tests before he comes to stay with me and I test before I visit him or anybody else, such as his parents. Given my general lack of social contact, it's unlikely that I'll be infected, but it's not impossible and I don't want to be responsible for passing it on to anybody else.

But it isn’t just about numbers etc. Isn’t it about giving us the means to protect ourselves and those around us in certain situations ( eg me meeting up with my family). And it will mean that will only be possible for people that can afford to buy the tests.

tidyskatemum

For heaven’s sake. This country is obsessed with testing and it hasn’t resulted in fewer infections/deaths than similar countries with far less testing, has it? We have reached the stage where covid is endemic and all the continual testing without good cause is a pointless waste of money.

It hasn't resulted in fewer infections reported because, as you say, we test more than other countries.

Chicken and egg situation.

More testing = higher numbers reported
Less testing = lower numbers reported - look how well that country is doing compared to the UK.

Lower numbers of new infections

Oldnproud

Joesoap

I think it is wonderful in the UK having free LFT kits, but I dont agree with people stockpiling. People should test if they have symptoms why do it otherwise no wonder there arent enough test kits to go around.
Where we live we have to pay the equivalant of £6 for one, no stockpiling here,and no unnecessary testing either,we live in Scandinavia that says it all.

You say "People should test if they have symptomswhy do it otherwise no wonder there arent enough test kits to go around."

But that's exactly what LFTs are for - they are there to detect asymptomatic infections and help prevent the spread of the virus by people who would otherwise not know that they are carrying it!
You are not meant to use them if you actually have covid symptoms- that is what PCRs are for.

That is probably why some countries report lower new infections than others.

People in Scandinavia may be reluctant to pay £6 per LFT test, do not test if they are symptomless or think their symptoms are minor and therefore a cold, and so positive Covid cases are not reported.

For heaven’s sake. This country is obsessed with testing and it hasn’t resulted in fewer infections/deaths than similar countries with far less testing, has it? We have reached the stage where covid is endemic and all the continual testing without good cause is a pointless waste of money.

I guess we could look back to the £20 weekly uplift which, although it was only meant to temporary, ended too soon and without warning. This time round maybe sufficient warning about LFTs is being given so the same problem doesn't arise. Warning given, then implement this after April.

Casdon

According to the article in the Times this isn’t happening at any point in the near future, it’s a proposal for consideration in the next few weeks. Omicron is already endemic, so unless there are any new variants in the meantime it does make sense to stop testing for it routinely once the current peak is over.

Makes sense....few people seem to want sense around this subject though on GN.

I suspect, but do not have evidence, that “leaks” are how this government test public opinion.

I had run out of my tests kits, I work in well known supermarket, went to our instore pharmacy for LFT as we had none left in the office area.

You would have thought I was asking for a gold ingot! plus inquisition "are they for you etc"

M0nica

Nothing is free. The enormous costs of COVID, whether free tests, or furlough will all have to be paid for by us or our descendants sooner or later.

No it won't. It's purely 'created' money, not borrowed, not to be repaid.

Joesoap

I think it is wonderful in the UK having free LFT kits, but I dont agree with people stockpiling. People should test if they have symptoms why do it otherwise no wonder there arent enough test kits to go around.
Where we live we have to pay the equivalant of £6 for one, no stockpiling here,and no unnecessary testing either,we live in Scandinavia that says it all.

You say "People should test if they have symptomswhy do it otherwise no wonder there arent enough test kits to go around."

But that's exactly what LFTs are for - they are there to detect asymptomatic infections and help prevent the spread of the virus by people who would otherwise not know that they are carrying it!
You are not meant to use them if you actually have covid symptoms- that is what PCRs are for.

Calistemon

You may need salt if it freezes, Calendargirl!

Must admit I never put salt down. There is a council salt bin nearby, but unused by me.

Nothing is free. The enormous costs of COVID, whether free tests, or furlough will all have to be paid for by us or our descendants sooner or later.

Toxic Twitter. Who needs it? ???