Test, test, test
We are close to achieving the 5 tests set out by the UK government to reach before easing lockdown. In saying that, cases remain high in Scotland. People are still contracting this illness every day. We need widespread testing and contact tracing (with public buy in) before we can ease lockdown. People would need to comply with self isolation in the result of symptoms or awaiting test results. Therefore employers need to be sympathetic to this.
Before this is in place - the second wave could be worse than the first - please don't end lockdown yet.
My personal experience as a doctor - even in hospital where testing is prioritised we frequently run out of swabs (we get them from another, bigger hospital and they limit the number they give us) and the results can take 1-2 days to come back. We are not allowed to test all inpatients because we'd run out of in a matter of hours, but that results in infected patients slipping through to non-covid wards frequently, often becoming symptomatic days later. Staff levels of infection are high. Public health are on the ground and I'm sure their expertise will be involved in next steps.
Before this is in place - the second wave could be worse than the first - please don't end lockdown yet.
My personal experience as a doctor - even in hospital where testing is prioritised we frequently run out of swabs (we get them from another, bigger hospital and they limit the number they give us) and the results can take 1-2 days to come back. We are not allowed to test all inpatients because we'd run out of in a matter of hours, but that results in infected patients slipping through to non-covid wards frequently, often becoming symptomatic days later. Staff levels of infection are high. Public health are on the ground and I'm sure their expertise will be involved in next steps.
Why the contribution is important
This virus is more infective than we know. The 2m rule, the social distancing, the lockdown - it's all to try to control it but we don't know if it's enough. Face masks - I don't believe non-FFP3 masks achieve much (yes we know they reduce droplets, but if they stopped the virus - our healthcare workers who are wearing them all the time wouldn't be contracting it). Measures are working but not quickly. Without knowing where it is, we are helpless to beat it.
As a side point - I am so, so disappointed by the numbers of people I have seen break the lockdown rules. Everybody thinks they are the exception. Please promote public health understanding in the future as clearly people don't understand the consequences of their actions.
Wash your hands. Stay home. Save lives.
As a side point - I am so, so disappointed by the numbers of people I have seen break the lockdown rules. Everybody thinks they are the exception. Please promote public health understanding in the future as clearly people don't understand the consequences of their actions.
Wash your hands. Stay home. Save lives.
by Triona on May 08, 2020 at 07:53AM
Posted by MikeJohnston May 08, 2020 at 09:08
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Posted by MarielSlater May 08, 2020 at 10:59
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Posted by Dwilliams21 May 08, 2020 at 11:12
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Posted by tonywatson1 May 08, 2020 at 11:13
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Posted by Calum64 May 08, 2020 at 11:47
To secure cooperation, anybody with a high temperature will not get entry to the supermarket but can buy a standard £25 box of groceries and gets an internet code entitling them to home delivery.
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Posted by Scotland_is_flatlining May 10, 2020 at 15:21
We need to see a 10-fold increase in testing to properly support Test, Track and Trace. All people identified as having been at risk through the TTT process should be tested and not left in isolation.
If / when there is a further wave of the virus testing capacity will be an important signal and enable early action.
Sharing facilities throughout the UK will enable regional spikes to be better managed.
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