RE: Tests2 Dec 2020 12:38
"I am not just saying this because I am Share holder, but these tests need to be rolled out beyond vaccination association.
My 17 year old lads as had to do two consecutive stints of self isolation as friends at school at been diagnosed.
Surely it would make sense for him to have the test and see if he has anti bodies so that he can carry on his life rather than stuck in doors.
I would defo buy a multi pack to test family members"
I have a great deal of sympathy with that view but the question is how you validate any test result where the testing is done at home. Whilst most people are responsible and honest, not everyone is (as this pandemic has shown) and we are talking about a public health issue.
At present home tests are returned centrally and the result validated. There may be some abuse (e.g. someone else taking the test) but it's unlikely as, at present, the home antibody testing doesn't get you anything. That would be different if it were, for example, tied to an 'antibody passport'.
I think there should be something of a halfway house. People who believe that they've had Covid should be able to attend a local test centre and have an LFT antibody test. If this is positive the result can be validated then and there, and a time limited 'antibody passport' issued (either physical or electronic). We basically have the existing infrastructure (e.g. GP practices, high street pharmacies, etc) in place to roll this out - without requiring major new testing stations to be set up or, where additional capacity is required, use existing public infrastructure (e.g. village halls, libraries, council offices, etc.)
The problem is, this government is wed to the idea that everything needs to go through Test & Trace, and be outsourced, which is inefficient, expensive and not making good use of the existing infrastructure.
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