Coronavirus in England: half of those with symptoms not isolating

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Northerner

Northerner

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Only half of people who develop coronavirus symptoms self-isolate for at least a week, according to government science advisers, raising urgent questions about the test-and-trace strategy aimed to contain future outbreaks.

The new system, which launched this week, requires people to self-isolate for 14 days if they are told by tracers that they recently came into contact with someone who tested positive for the virus.

But an April report presented to the government’s Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage), said “rapid” research was needed on how best to get people to comply with self-isolation advice given that “only around 50%” abided by the rule when they developed a cough or fever, according to Department of Health tracking in England.

The revelations appear in the latest tranche of documents and the first minutes of meetings published by Sage. The minutes from 34 meetings held from January to May were released with other documents submitted to Sage by its modelling and behavioural science subgroups.

www.theguardian.com

Coronavirus in England: half of those with symptoms not isolating

Scientists say failure to follow advice raises questions over test-and-trace policy
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

:( It'll never be over :(
 
Northerner said:
But an April report presented to the government’s Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage), said “rapid” research was needed on how best to get people to comply with self-isolation advice given that “only around 50%” abided by the rule when they developed a cough or fever, according to Department of Health tracking in England.
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There's a couple of obvious things the government could do. Firstly, make sure people (and their employers) are rewarded for their sacrifice. Secondly, get the testing available so that people (who'll presumably be asymptomatic) can get tested (and get those test results back quickly); if the test's negative, give them another one a few days later. If they still don't have symptoms and both tests were negative, assume they didn't get infected and can leave isolation. (If it's a multi person household and we're expecting the person to isolate in that same household, the negative tests and no symptoms has to be shared among everyone in that household.)
 
I‘d also be interested to know what the criteria for ‘not self isolating’ was. For instance, in the early weeks I put some ‘emergency’ stuff in the freezer must in case (a few pints of milk and a loaf of bread). but when the advice switched to being ‘hardly shop at all’ those supplies have just started to become part of a regular 10-ish day churn. So if one of the kids got a fever and had to isolate for 7 days, and the others of us had to isolate for 14 days we haven‘t enough food in the house for 2 whole weeks. We just dont have the storage.

Not if it came to it I know I could call on folks and it would be fine, but many people are not so lucky.

How many of these ‘isolation breakers’ are simply going out becaus they need food and have no option?

I dont think you qualify for govt food support or delivery slots? Or do you?
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
I dont think you qualify for govt food support or delivery slots? Or do you?
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I think you’re supposed to rely on the bank of volunteers who signed up to deliver groceries and prescriptions or other errands for isolating households. In our village, our community centre took on that task, before the government scheme was up and running, and everyone who is having to isolate (or who is shielding) can ring the helpline, get stuff delivered and pay on line or run up a bill for later collection. That’s possible in a small place with good sense of community though. In the neighbouring towns, the church, or the Lions or Rotary clubs are doing it. But there are a lot of areas where these don’t function, who must rely on there being enough of the National scheme of volunteers.
 
Robin said:
I think you’re supposed to rely on the bank of volunteers who signed up early on, to deliver groceries and prescriptions or other errands for isolating households. In our village, our community centre took on that task, before the government scheme was up and running, and everyone who is having to isolate can ring the helpline, get stuff delivered and pay on line or run up a bill for later collection. That’s possible in a small place with good sense of community though. In the neighbouring towns, the church, or the Lions or Rotary clubs are doing it. But there are a lot of areas where these don’t must rely on there being enough of the National scheme of volunteers.
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Yes the volunteer response has been amazing I think.

I was just playing devil‘s advocate really and wondering whether it was functional needs rather than frivolous sunbathing in the park?
 
I’ve been in hospital twice now & still not been tested even after being told I most likely have the CV virus in my lungs & told to self isolate for 14 days. First time I was misdiagnosed with pneumonia & sent home with antibiotics. 2nd time 10 days later after a week of antibiotics that made me feel a bit better, placebo effect I think, & then starting to get worse again to be told A&E doctor got the x-rays wrong the first time: not pneumonia; was most likely, different A&E doctor said, the CV virus in my lungs & sent home again with the slight comfort of not being severely ill enough to be in hospital! Was told it’s the hospital’s policy not to test anyone for CV unless they need admitting & only so they can assess where to put patients in the wards! Was also told it’s too late now to test as it’s been over a week. I checked online about testing in NI & the CV centres, my local hospital not being one of them, will only test if it’s up to 5 days since symptoms & not if it’s been longer.

I have pretty much been self isolating since the start of March anyway & not been out anywhere. The only slight contact is from online shopping deliveries being dropped off but, I still got it, most likely but, don’t ACTUALLY know without testing!

The two paramedics that took me into hospital in the ambulance the 2nd time were not wearing any protective gear at all or even put a mask on me until I was getting out at the hospital. One of them was sitting right beside me! Completely different from the 1st time when two different paramedics donned all the protective gear on before putting a mask on me & one of them sat at the opposite end of the ambulance about 2 metres away from me! The first time I was suspected to have CV & the 2nd time I was returning with pneumonia!

I’ve now phoned both my local chemist, delivering my prescriptions, & tesco/asda, shopping deliveries, I have CV & no contact at all: leave it at the front door & ring the doorbell!

I think that lockdown was initiated too late! Before March 2020 I wasn’t out of the house much either as I wasn’t that great health wise but, had to get regular blood tests every 6-8 weeks at my health centre &, now thinking back, the last time I was there was in Feb. 2020. Which also happened to be my annual asthma review. I was already starting to have breathing problems then which I put down to the start of the hay fever season! The treatment room is always packed with people waiting for tests etc. I was actually about due for blood tests again when lockdown happened & didn’t go! GP still left a note with my prescriptions to get those blood tests done before my next prescription. I was mentally preparing myself to go next week when my meds need re ordering. Now, the blood tests are being deferred again when I ordered my meds anyway & told my GP practice about both trips to A&E on the online order form! I got that prescription without a note from my GP this time!
 
I’m not surprised by that proportion of folk in England aren’t self isolating. The advice given to the people of England comes in the form of leaked press releases, manipulated graphs and incoherent press conferences with fake excess death numbers. Is it any wonder? And it didn’t help when Dominic Cummings deliberately flouted the rules and drove 250 miles in a car full of virus.

Meanwhile, in contrast, Nicola Sturgeon appears to be a beacon of clarity and common sense, and folk know what they are supposed to be doing in Scotland. And, more to the point, she doesn’t bounce questions off to two stooges either side of her.

It was announced the Test and trace system started on the same day in England and Scotland. What the news media in England don’t tell you is that for the past few weeks, Scotland has been trialling test, track and trace in three counties, using only local authorities public health teams. That is the system which has been found to work, and it it is being rolled out nationwide. No Apps. No private companies. Local knowledge and skills. With a few extras to deal with the paperwork.

So in Scotland the system is up and running. Is it in England? Is it ***k.
 
I should add, in Scotland they know full well that you can’t relax lockdown rules unless you have such a system in place. The rest of the world know this, the SAGE committee know this. The radge folk in charge don’t care.
 
Since the Cummings debacle people have not been paying any attention to the rules to judge by the parties which have been held in our street. Until that broke if was just one or two. Now it is a perpetual weekend situation.
Lockdown has lost all credibility for most people.
I have been out of the front gate three times this month, but that is all I need to do as everything I used to attend is on hold. I have noticed that it is not all that easy to get hold of all the things I used to buy, but I have just adapted when possible and made do when not. I'm just waiting for an antibody test, as I think I might have already had the virus, but I am not complacent.
 
Yes MikeyB, Nicola Sturgeon, has abilities totally lacking in the UK "leadership". Caught the end of her briefing yesterday, clear and realistic and designed to inform. I'm impressed at how quick she is when thinking on her feet. Never trips herself up and knows how any sentence is going to end before she starts it. You might not like her politics but you have got to acknowledge her skills.
 
Call centres and scripts ... ok then.

All those countries where being a contact tracer is like being a detective or, better, an investigative journalist plus with the qualifications, skills and personal skills to advise people in stressful situations, are obviously mired in the steam age.
 
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