Daily lateral flow tests could be used as an alternative to isolation for those who have been in contact with someone who tests positive for the coronavirus.
Currently, these people are to be quarantined for 10 days, but a trial in England will see daily lateral flow tests administered to 40,000 people.
Trial participants will receive a week of testing and can lead normal lives as long as their daily results are negative.
The trial could provide evidence that would reduce the time it takes to isolate contacts from positive cases.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “This new pilot project could help turn the game around in our favor by providing a viable alternative to self-isolation for people who are positive contacts. COVID-19[female[feminine case, and which would allow people to continue working and living their lives. “
The trial will begin on May 9 and close contacts of people with COVID-19 will be contacted by phone and sent for seven days of testing if they decide to participate in the study.
They will need to test themselves every morning for seven days and, as long as they test negative and have no symptoms, they will be exempt from the home isolation rule.
Professor Isabel Oliver, who is leading the study as director of the National Infections Service at Public Health England, said the study will be key to informing how “the screening approach might evolve”.
“This study will help determine whether we can deploy daily testing for contacts to potentially reduce the need for self-isolation, while ensuring that chains of transmission are stopped,” she said.
“Contacts of cases are at higher risk of infection, so testing them is a very effective way to prevent further spread.”
Details were released on Friday of a previous pilot of 1,370 close contacts using testing as an alternative to isolation.
This trial took place in December and January and daily testing usage was 62%, although …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-05-01 23:02:00
