Mass testing reduced COVID-19 cases in Liverpool by one-fifth, study finds

LONDON, July 7 (Reuters) – A mass rapid testing program has reduced COVID-19 cases in the English city of Liverpool by more than a fifth, researchers said on Wednesday, arguing it was ‘effective public health intervention despite concerns about the accuracy of the devices.

The community testing pilot program was launched in November and offered testing to everyone in the city, whether they have symptoms or not, with a goal of finding a new way to use testing to limit the spread. of the coronavirus.

The study, led by the University of Liverpool with government support, concluded that community testing led to an 18% increase in case finding and a 21% reduction in cases compared to other regions up to ‘in mid-December.

The spread of the Alpha variant first identified in Kent made comparisons between areas more difficult after that point, the researchers said.

“The Liverpool pilot has shown that community testing can work, and that they work well if they are nationally flexible and locally anchored,” Iain Buchan, the University of Liverpool professor who heads the trial.

Some scientists questioned the use of rapid lateral flow tests, saying they could do more harm than good, and the US regulator warned that the performance of the Innova test used in Britain had failed. been sufficiently established. Read more

Despite concerns about the lower accuracy of lateral flow tests compared to PCR tests, researchers in Liverpool said the devices identified most cases with high viral loads.

The fast turnaround times have also had an advantage, as lateral flow tests give a result in 30 minutes, rather than having to be processed in a lab.

“If it’s positive, (people) are getting the immediate reinforcement they need to take action… we can see it’s reduced cases,” said Calum Semple, professor of epidemic medicine at the University of Liverpool.

As part of the study, 283,338 Liverpool residents were tested using a lateral flow device between November 6, 2020 and April 30, 2021.

Report by Alistair Smout

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