Get the numbers down

Do whatever it takes to get the numbers stable and manageable again. As quickly as reasonably possible, but favouring ways that do not further intrude on people's lives.

So, boost Test & Protect staff, and build testing capacity rapidly through more walk-in centres, and more NHS lab capacity. Provide safe transport for people to get tested if they can't drive. Add much more mobile Test & Protect provision that can get to hotspots as soon as they appear (e.g. some of the neighbourhoods in Edinburgh where currently up to 3% of all residents are newly positive over the past 7 days). Offer to test everyone including asymptomatic in these locations, while there are still relatively few such hotspots. Concentrate your efforts where the numbers are getting out of control.

Additionally provide extra support to assist and encourage people to do the right thing.

Why the contribution is important

Numbers of cases are double their peak in the spring, and appear to be still rising fast. The positivity rate is too high, and rising. Numbers in hospital, ICU and dying are now starting to rise exponentially too. There is a high risk that the current number of cases will transfer through to high numbers of deaths and serious illness, and potentially not only in the older population.

This needs to be brought under control, or there will be no option but to reimpose harsh measures and close down the economy again, with a huge toll on people's lives from all the harms. Now is the time to act. More public health resources must be brought to bear in as targeted and supported a way as possible.

by salient on October 06, 2020 at 12:32PM

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Comments

  • Posted by alanmacrae41 October 06, 2020 at 13:27

    Almost everything here is simply not true

  • Posted by DRD1812 October 11, 2020 at 14:23

    As we will be living with this virus for the time being having a walk-in centre in every town would be a great idea. Train up some more people to do testing, hire out a small church hall everywhere has a small hall of some sort most are laying empty at the moment that would be glad for a few pounds to stay open if cleaning is a concern then a porta cabin in the car park. People especially the sick and elderly would feel more comfortable going to a place that is familiar and is possibly within walking distance. The hiring of test staff, premises and drivers to collect tests will also help with unemployment figures and boosting morale that the town is cared for. This would help with capturing smaller local virus hotspots and locking down for shorter periods of time to get things under control.
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