Country wide testing

Surely the simplest idea is to test the whole country before lifting restrictions. When this is done, you recieve some form of letter or card proving you have been tested and are clear of the virus. Then you can return to work or other form of activities, but must have the proof with you at all times. This letter or card can be kept on a database to prove the person is clear and can be accessed via some form of app so people can in fact check the validity of this information. If this is done we maybe can return to some normality.

Why the contribution is important

Because sometimes the simplest ideas are the way forward.

by paul64 on May 05, 2020 at 05:27PM

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Average rating: 3.4
Based on: 9 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Terranaut May 05, 2020 at 17:41

    Presumably this refers to antibody testing. That's not yet available, and it's not certain whether the presence of antibodies confers immunity or, if it does, how long it will last. Once the situation becomes clearer, antibody testing will be very important. If you are talking about antigen testing, to see if the virus is present, that would need to be repeated every few days.

  • Posted by IanB May 05, 2020 at 18:02

    Sounds good, but needs the antibody test to be nearly 100%specifuc, and reflect immunity

  • Posted by Oliver197 May 05, 2020 at 18:25

    This isn’t clear. Antibody testing carried out at a laboratory is currently the most accurate way to show a titre of serum neutralising antibodies ie immunity. Positive cases could be issued with passports. Cases with positive antigen tests, followed by negative, could also get passports. Otherwise ongoing community antibody testing until the infection peters out here. Isolation after arriving in U.K. - mandatory unless passport carried.

  • Posted by Iridium242 May 05, 2020 at 18:46

    In principle a good idea but there are two types of test: one to see if you have already had the virus and are now (probably) immune, and one to see if you are currently infected but have yet to clear it from your system. Once you get a positive result from the first type, then a certificate might be useful as (it seems) you won't be able to catch it again. For the second type, there is no point in a certificate (if you haven't already had the virus) because you may have caught it since you had your test.

  • Posted by Colette May 05, 2020 at 18:53

    The timescale to test the whole country would drag out lockdown unnecessarily

  • Posted by DevVeh May 05, 2020 at 19:05

    The current test will tell you if you currently have the virus. If you dont that doesnt mean you can't get it and spread it
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