The UK government is halting plans to conduct daily rapid Covid-19 tests on close contact with positive issues for students and staff in English secondary schools and colleges, it announced on Wednesday.
A government spokesman said the change of plans was the result of updated advice from British scientific advisers. “NHS Test and Trace and Public Health England reviewed their advice and concluded that in view of the higher incidence and rate of transmission of the new variant, further evaluation work is needed to ensure that it achieves its objective of: breaking transmission chains and reducing cases of the virus in the community, ”the spokesman said.
“We therefore conduct daily contact tests in all but a small number of secondary schools and colleges, where this will continue along with detailed evaluation.”
In a statement, Public Health England (PHE) and NHS Test and Trace cited concerns over the more transmissible variant of Covid-19 being discovered in the UK as the reason for the change, saying the “pandemic is entering a new phase entered “and that the balance between risk and benefits for daily Covid-19 tests is now” unclear “and it is recommended to the government that the implementation of the daily contact test be interrupted.
Covid strain VOC202012 / 01 was discovered in the United Kingdom and has been present in the south east of England since November 2020.
The mass testing program in secondary schools and colleges would begin in January to identify asymptomatic cases between students and staff and reduce the need for self-isolation through 30-minute lateral flow tests.
It plans for daily tests for all staff and students who have been in close contact with a confirmed case, which has reduced the need for self-isolation for all secondary schools and colleges, as well as weekly quick tests for all staff in secondary schools and colleges. , according to the Department of Education.
National lock-in measures across England have forced schools to remain closed since January 5, but children of key workers are still allowed to attend. PHE has confirmed that schools should continue to test staff and pupils currently going to schools.
While daily Covid-19 testing in schools by British Education Secretary Gavin Williamson in December is a ‘milestone in our work to keep schools and colleges open’, scientists have expressed concern that the tests may not be accurate enough, and can falsely reassure people and increase the spread of coronavirus.