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Withholding rapid mass testing is now a public health emergency that prolongs the war on COVID-19, experts say, and African countries can learn from experiences in Europe and North America regarding benefits of rapid mass testing.
The UK was the first to recognize the large-scale potential and is now rolling out 400 million lateral flow antigen rapid test kits alongside vaccination strategy as well as public advice on masks, hand cleaning and social distancing.
But the Lateral Flow Test (LFT) message is set to go global with World Health Organization Special Envoy on COVID-19 David Nabarro now commenting:
“We’ve seen it (rapid mass test) used in a lot of different places, especially to try to keep planes free of people who have COVID or to deal with major events.”
The use of LFTs will keep economies open, the security of health systems and allow the public to attend entertainment and sporting events, he added.
A leading American expert on mass testing, Dr Michael Mina of Harvard University, insisted that some rapid mass tests had been misunderstood by some: “The UK is the one of the only countries to have genuinely listened to the science and I spoke with Downing Street about the correct mass test value. ”
The UK government’s initiative paved the way for the provision of LFT to essential health workers, the education sector and local authorities. This rapid mass testing approach to suppress transmission has now been extended to the workplace, through the private sector and industry groups. The first users in the UK are the Royal Mail, the DVLA and Tate & Lyle Sugars. This is expected to be important in reducing the need for future lockouts. Slovakia, like the UK, is using rapid lateral flow antigen testing with great success in their mass testing initiative, with extremely positive results.
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said about one in three infected people did not show symptoms, so testing was vital in breaking the chains of transmission; workplace testing provides peace of mind for those who cannot work from home during foreclosure.
He added, “LFTs have already been tremendously successful in finding positive cases that we wouldn’t otherwise find, and I encourage employers and workers to take up this offer to help protect essential services and businesses.”
World-renowned journal The Lancet is backing this approach after publishing a comprehensive review of quarantine and testing measures, and leading UK scientists and clinical experts have added their weight.
Senior researchers at the University of Oxford have found that the most sensitive FTLs detect 83-90% of all infectious cases of COVID-19 and, with the UK investing more than £ 1.5bn in these test kits so far, pointed out Regius Professor of Medicine from Oxford, Sir John Bell. the benefit of removing infectious people from high-risk environments: “They found 25,000 cases in healthcare alone, which could have prevented tens of thousands of cases of the disease.”
Tim Peto, Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, discussed the contrasts between PCR (polymerase chain reaction) swab tests and lateral flow kits:
“PCR is very good at telling you have had the virus or that you have contracted the virus, but it doesn’t tell you whether you are infectious or not and the other problem with the swab test is that you need a day or two to get it. the response back. LFT has the huge advantage of giving you a response in about 30 minutes. ”
He said this allows for immediate self-isolation and individuals can also quickly inform their contacts. “Within hours, a local epidemic can be detected. This cannot be done with swab testing (PCR), ”adding that LFTs“ detect people with high viral loads… the very people who are infectious. ”
The World Nano Foundation (WNF) promotes healthcare technology and has modeled this form of technology, predicting that mass testing is central to future protection against a pandemic.
The nonprofit’s co-founder, Paul Sheedy, said, “Our research shows how diagnostic technology in healthcare will radically evolve into a more decentralized, community-based early intervention model, against epidemics and disease. potential pandemics.
“Our own COVIDlytics ™ modeling shows that an intensive first-line ‘Test to Suppress’ campaign using rapid test kits available to the individual will allow early detection and immediate isolation, reducing the need for lockdown.
“And our simulation shows how consecutive daily testing for three days can quickly identify and isolate infectious people. Weekly testing can then maintain a low infection rate, even in a large population.
“A key point previously forgotten by some experts is that high-quality rapid lateral flow tests are not intended for people who think they already have COVID-19; it is for everyone else to test frequently to verify that they are not infectious.
“Used alongside vaccines, hand cleaning and social distancing, these simple tests are a vital part in the battle to defeat COVID-19, future variants, or other viruses.
“Rapid community testing is simpler, faster, cheaper, more effective, and mobilizes everyone to help themselves and their parents, friends and colleagues – we can all play a role in protecting everyone.
“As West Africa shook under the impact of Ebola (2014-2016), the world gasped to see if the ‘beast’ was going to go global, but frequent rapid mass tests were deployed at the community level several times in a few weeks this terrible disease in its tracks.
“With the work we do, we know there are even more exciting technologies that will be at the heart of the global fight for pandemic protection and future healthcare.
“We have already seen the danger of not being on our guard against new viral threats. The Spanish flu hit in 1918 and ultimately killed up to 50 million people in four successive waves, the last two being the deadliest because public health warnings were not heeded.
“The foresight of the UK government in being the first to secure large stocks of supplies of rapid lateral flow antigen testing by Innova Medical (US) and SureScreen Diagnostics (UK) may prove to have been a human and economic lifeline.
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