Should Everyone In The Uk Be Tested For Covid-19 ?

[johnny.5]

as soon as a quick inexpensive test is made available ?

[Bobbisox1]

Mmm, not sure Johnny , just knowing and feeling you have a high temp,dry cough and respiratory problems will make you aware you’ve fallen victim to it

[ichkeria]

Testing probably needs still to be focused on certain groups.
You’d need to keep testing as well because testing negative isn’t an “all clear”
So testing for immunity also needs doing.

[dannyk13]

Wouldn't work, if all the people in the uk tested negative it would only signify that they were negative at the time they were tested so, unless the virus has been eradicated, people would still be catching it and we would be back to square one.

[ichkeria]

It’s worth reflecting that the country with the highest test rate, S Korea, has done 250,000 odd. That’s been v effective it would seem, tho they did have the advantage of being to isolate the bulk of the cases

[carrot99]

I think that would be a waste of time. If you have the symptoms and recover, all well and good. If you have the symptoms and have breathing difficulties you phone 111 for help. I don't think giving your illness a label helps until you need medical help.

[johnny.5]

not all will show symptoms of any kind
and someone might be carrying the cure
which could be artificially replicated

[Zacs-Master]

It would be like looking at one frame if a movie and trying to work out the plot.

[ichkeria]

They do here to do more and quicker testing, but pointless trying to cover everyone

[mushroom25]

//testing for immunity also needs doing. //

at this time, an antibody test doesn't exist.

[Apc2604]

Ditto Danny k13.

[ichkeria]

No one will be carrying a cure. What recovered people will have are the correct antibodies for their system.
Most people tho will be well and uninfected - yet

[ichkeria]

I believe antibody testing will be available soon

[woofgang]

I don't think its so much the actual test as the implementation and processing that would be the issue. It might be helpful for research purposes but I don't think its worth the resource as a preventative or curative measure.

[maggiebee]

2018 population of the UK was 66.44 million. Where do you even start testing?

[elliemay1]

I agree with danny @ 12.58

[ichkeria]

At the moment we’ve no idea how many people have it: so it makes sense to have more, and quicker, tests.

[KARL]

Looking at the available figures, in Europe only Italy has a higher death rate from Covid19 than does the UK. As already pointed out, other countries have a high testing ratio but they also have better health care systems so it is perhaps not simply a higher rate of testing that makes the difference, although they clearly gain an advantage by monitoring and treating people sooner in their illness. Nowhere has it been suggested that everybody should be tested, on the other hand testing those with symptoms and known exposure to infection are obvious candidates for testing. The Far Eastern practice of monitoring the passing public for elevated temperature and taking them aside for testing looks very sensible and is said to have been a major factor in more successful handling of the outbreak. This, however, is something unlikely to happen in the UK because there is no will to take it up plus the equipment is not available and is unlikely to be procured either.

[ichkeria]

Spain’s death rate is 4.37% compared to the UK 3.56.
Germany’s is just 0.25 on the other hand.
Mind you these figures are dependent on the number of cases being comparably accurate which they may not be

[Theland]

My granddaughter, 10, has it and refused a test by the NHS.
More kids in her school also have it.
She is more ill today than yesterday

[ichkeria]

When was she refused a test?