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The £37bn test-and-trace system is described by the government as Britain’s “second line of defence” against Covid, behind the public health mantra of “Hands. Face. Space”. As England limps uncertainly into so-called freedom day on Monday, when rules around mask-wearing and social distancing will be relaxed, the programme becomes arguably even more crucial.
Yes, 69% of UK adults have now received both vaccinations. This provides a level of protection that for many was unthinkable last summer – but it is not a freedom pass. It is perfectly possible to be double-jabbed and still catch the virus – just as Sajid Javid did this weekend – and, importantly, pass it on.
This new phase of the pandemic comes as the UK is recording more daily Covid cases than almost anywhere in the world. It reported 54,674 new cases on Saturday, a higher rate per million people than anywhere except Cyprus, Fiji, Seychelles and Botswana, according to the University of Oxford’s Our World In Data project.
It is unsurprising, then, that everyone from the prime minister to your colleague, neighbour or relative is being told to self-isolate. More than half a million people were caught in the “pingdemic” in the first week of July – a 46% rise on the previous week – and that is expected to balloon as the UK heads towards an “almost inevitable” 100,000 new cases a day, and maybe even double that.
www.theguardian.com
Yes, 69% of UK adults have now received both vaccinations. This provides a level of protection that for many was unthinkable last summer – but it is not a freedom pass. It is perfectly possible to be double-jabbed and still catch the virus – just as Sajid Javid did this weekend – and, importantly, pass it on.
This new phase of the pandemic comes as the UK is recording more daily Covid cases than almost anywhere in the world. It reported 54,674 new cases on Saturday, a higher rate per million people than anywhere except Cyprus, Fiji, Seychelles and Botswana, according to the University of Oxford’s Our World In Data project.
It is unsurprising, then, that everyone from the prime minister to your colleague, neighbour or relative is being told to self-isolate. More than half a million people were caught in the “pingdemic” in the first week of July – a 46% rise on the previous week – and that is expected to balloon as the UK heads towards an “almost inevitable” 100,000 new cases a day, and maybe even double that.
Test and trace is still crucial to curbing Covid, but can it cope with ‘freedom’?
The £37bn system is facing rapidly rising cases and waning compliance as social distancing rules are lifted in England
www.theguardian.com