4
0
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has admitted the idea of the government giving up free lateral flow testing and claims the idea would be ‘utterly wrongheaded’.
The First Minister reacted to the news via her official twitter expressing her concerns about the axe of free testing and claimed testing is so vital and the Scottish government would have to consider continued funding of testing and made her raiser her concerns about the current UK funding rules.
This comes after a report in the Sunday Times the UK Government are to be considering taking away the luxury of free lateral flow tests with Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly making the announcement in the coming weeks.
The government have invested over 6 billion pound of taxpayers in testing contracts. Free Tests will only be delivered in more high-risk environments under the new proposition meaning care homes, hospitals, and schools and to people who are suffering with symptoms will be made priority.
Lateral flow test confirms that you almost certainly had the virus and the new rules confirming If you have a positive lateral flow, you will not be required to take a follow up confirmatory PCR test.
A Cochrane review of 64 studies has shown that 72% of people who have symptoms of coronavirus are identified by lateral flow tests, with 78% of people who are ill within the first week are also identified.
Housing Secretary, Michael Gove said on Sky News that covid tests will be there ‘as long as we need them’ but refused to give a definitive answer on how long this will be the case, however, did hint the UK is closing in on a situation where we can ‘live with covid’.
Gove also insisted later flows are key for ‘curving the spread of the infection.
.@KayBurley: How long will lateral flow tests be free?
Housing Secretary Michael Gove: "As long as we need them."
Read more: https://t.co/KcJvlxMgBr
? Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/N8ukqNLMlB
— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 10, 2022
A lateral flow test confirms that you almost certainly had the virus and under the new rules confirming If you have a positive lateral flow, you will not be required to take a follow up confirmatory PCR test but self-isolate immediately.
Here at The Clyde Insider, we took to social media to see if people thought the government charging a fee for lateral flow tests was a good or bad idea.
One social media user said:” They were never free. I am against borrowing money from children who can’t vote so that adults don’t have to pay.
“As a general rule the state should keep out of markets but in this case, I’d like to see the price of LFTs fixed by the state.”
Another user highlighted that the proposal could affect more low-income families and was against any fee being introduced.
“I’m fully vaccinated, however I do not like the fact it will no longer be free. It’s more burden on those not working or those who are on low income and not vaccinated. This should be free to anyone who wishes. to take the test.”
A third contributor was wholeheartedly against the idea saying they don’t agree with the idea.
The latest coronavirus numbers as of January 10th in the UK showed 142,224 positive cases with 77 deaths.
