Surge testing only feasible at specific prevalence. Once levels are reached then emphasis will be in28 Mar 2021 12:42
Independent SAGE live meeting MARCH 26th
“Most important in preventing transmission is specific target for effective community backward contact tracing. Only logistically feasible to deploy surge testing when prevalence is sufficiently low and that is what the government is waiting for but won’t say it out loud”
Positive new Cases need to be at levels are low enough to will ensure that SURGE testing is successful. We are quickly on the trajectory to those levels then mass testing will be pushed.
The government is now committed to following successful test and trace models elsewhere in the world but we still have too high transmission for it to be a success therefore they won’t talk about it yet.
Testing is preferred over a vaccine passport to prevent transmission as there will be increased asymptotic cases with vaccination therefore vaccination can lead to an increase transmission in the community if everyone is not vaccinated. Also variants May elude some vaccines .
Testing is the only safe way to get the economy up and running and as soon as we hit the specific targets the will push test test test.