Rapid coronavirus testing launching in Buckinghamshire
Aylesbury and Wycombe are the two areas that will get these tests
The rapid community testing initiative will launch in two areas of Buckinghamshire.
Aylesbury and High Wycombe will see the rapid community testing initiative launching to try and drive coronavirus transmission rates down.
The community testing initiative, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, is launching at Buckinghamshire in Aylesbury and High Wycombe to help drive down transmission rates.
Around one in three people who are infected with COVID-19 have no symptoms so could be spreading the disease without knowing it.
The goal of broadening testing is to identify those showing no symptoms and finding positive cases more quickly.
This would break the chain of transmission and hopefully lower the rate of transmission.
Buckinghamshire will receive lateral flow tests, provided by NHS Test and Trace, as part of a new pilot to enable local public health leaders to start testing people who are leaving home to go to work or volunteer and are public facing.
Rapid-turnaround lateral flow tests are a new type of technology, which provide results within an hour, and will be used to proactively test asymptomatic individuals.
Lateral flow devices do not require a laboratory to process the test and people can expect to receive the result within 45 minutes.
Testing will be available for asymptomatic individuals’ - people who are leaving home to go to work or volunteer and are public facing.
Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health said:
“Lateral flow testing is an easy and practical way to help keep our frontline workers and those they come into contact with safe. It is essential that we do everything in our power to break the chain of transmission.”
‘It’s important to remember that even with a negative test result you will still need to take the same safety measures – hands, face, space as you may pick up the virus after leaving the test site.”
Baroness Dido Harding, Interim Executive Chair of the National Institute for Health Protection, said:
“NHS Test and Trace continues to play a leading role in the fight against COVID-19. Increased community testing is a vital additional tool at our disposal to help identify those who are infected and infectious, but unaware that they might be spreading the disease.
“The work of Buckinghamshire will be essential in driving down transmission rates. I urge all those living in areas where community testing is offered to come forward and get tested.”
What is Covid-19?
Covid-19 emerged as a virus in December 2019 as the first cases are reported in Wuhan, China. Scientifically known as SARS-CoV-2, the virus created a global pandemic as it began to spread around the world. Symptoms can range from very mild to severe, causing death in some cases. Some people are completely asymptomatic and do not realise they even have the virus.
Has there been a virus like this before?
The SARS pandemic in 2003 was similar to Covid-19 in that it was also caused by a coronavirus. SARS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The global outbreak of SARS lasted from 2002-2003, infecting over 8,000 people and killing 774. Covid-19 and SARS are both respiratory illnesses, but SARS was much more deadly and less infectious.
What are the main symptoms?
The NHS say the main Covid-19 symptoms are a high temperature, a new and continuous cough and loss or change to taste of sense or smell. NHS advises people with Covid-19 to take plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, and take paracetamol for a high temperature.
What was the Government reaction?
The UK Government announced the first of several lockdowns in March 2020. By the end of the month, more than 100 countries around the world introduce full or partial lockdowns, preventing people from going to work, restricting everyday tasks and affecting the livelihoods of billions of people globally.
Which countries have been worst hit?
During the first year of the pandemic, the US recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world and the most deaths, reporting an unprecedented 100,000 new cases in one day on November 4th 2020. Thousands of new cases were recorded on the same date in India (46,000+), the United Kingdom (22,000+), Brazil (17,000+) and Mexico (5,000+), while Ireland records less than 1,000 (578). Hundreds of other countries also reported a high rate of infection.
How have vaccines fought against Covid-19?
Vaccines began being approved for use across the globe. By January 2021, the UK approved the use of three different vaccines. The Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and the Moderna vaccine are rolled out to the public, with older people and those with greater health concerns getting priority. In April 2022, just under 53 million people had received at least one dose of the vaccine.
What are new Covid variants?
Four new variants of Covid-19 were discovered around the world. Beta was found in South Africa, Gamma in Brazil and Delta in India, while the Alpha variant was first located in Kent, UK. New variants are not likely to make someone more seriously ill than Covid-19 would, but variants like Delta have a higher infection rate, meaning it can be more easily spread.
The Omicron variant was first detected late 2021 in South Africa. Since then, it has become one of the most dominant variants in the world, with its own sub strains - BA.4 and BA.5.