How “quick-turnaround” Covid tests will change lockdown and self-isolation

New ‘quick-turnaround’ COVID tests are being trialled in Liverpool as of now and have potential to be a “major breakthrough” against the severity of lockdown and in the battle against coronavirus claims George Eustice.

Faster testing, if successful, would be a major breakthrough as Boris Johnson believes that the NHS Test and Trace system needs to give faster results, with only 15.1% of people receiving their test results within 24 hours. Rapid testing would reduce this time to 20-30 minutes, showing large advancements in our fight against global pandemic.

Being the first city to be entirely tested, all residents of Liverpool will be offered a test, whether they are showing symptoms or not. Eustice told BBC Breakfast that rapid testing will allow the general public to “act more quickly to prevent the spread of the virus” deeming it a “major breakthrough”.

BBC health and science correspondent James Gallagher says that there needs to be high levels of the virus in the body for the test to work, showing how they could be inconsistent in catching people in the early stages of the infection.

To back up this claim, the British Medical Journal has reported that the rapid test in Manchester missed over 50% of positive cases in their pilot. Rapid testing could be a ploy to boost the economy, if it is done properly however it will reduce the time of self-isolation.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps suggests that there is “some hope for optimism” surrounding the lateral flow test as it could also save the travel industry.

BBC health and science correspondent James Gallagher says that there needs to be high levels of the virus in the body for the test to work, showing how they could be inconsistent in catching people in the early stages of the infection.

To back up this claim, the British Medical Journal has reported that the rapid test in Manchester missed over 50% of positive cases in their pilot. Rapid testing could be a ploy to boost the economy, if it is done properly however it will reduce the time of self-isolation.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps suggests that there is “some hope for optimism” surrounding the lateral flow test as it could also save the travel industry.

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