I did not realise, when I suggested it, that pooled testing for the routine “screening” cohort -eg care homes HCW (as opposed to the symptomatic testing cohort) was already in use in Germany, USA &++ countries
It is one of the reasons why I think there is an urgent need to separate out the cohorts in testing and positivity rates.
Partly to monitor positivity rates separately and partly to provide a gold standard base line to pilot pooled testing in a resource limited environment.
Once the positivity rates in the cohort gets too high it makes pooled testing less useful.
Several other suggestions here.
It discusses the potential for new faster testing and also the need for high quality evaluation.
Assays to improve specificity.
The value of expanding the symptoms to match WHO testing criteria.
I would also say that separating out the results for each symptom or groups of symptoms could provide some very valuable data to understand more methodically symptoms in age groups, risks of progression or recovery.
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ALSO the way this information was received by Trump.
Imagine being told that multiple sources, inc intercepted communications, showed that your lawyer Giuliani was interacting with people tied to Russian intelligence during a December 2019 trip to Ukraine,
That he was there to serve YOUR interests, gathering information that he thought would expose corrupt acts by former vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter....so pointing the finger at you...
“(Ignoring ) the content of any deal, which has been clear for months, the UK compromises on level playing field, the EU on fish. Something so obvious really isn't the fundamental issue. Could, as some not noted for their perspicacity have said, be done in an afternoon”
The thing is. It wasn’t and just when we are right in the middle of a pandemic. The choice was there.
Flouncing and behaving like children has been the absolutely unforgivable state of play.
Meanwhile businesses are floundering for want of clarity, certainty & tested systems.
The continuing upward pressure on hospitals continues .
Remember Covid is not a condition where most people are admitted for a day. Many can be in hospital for weeks hence exponential pressure on beds.
Taking England in hospital cases today with the Scottish, NI and Welsh in hospital data from their most recent reports there are MOST likely over 6k in patients with COVID right now.
On top of the NHS usual work.
That is a massive burden and the trajectory suggests ➡️ worse.
Likely the same to be said about daily admissions. Latest data for England, NI and Wales is Thursday. Scotland Tuesday.
I will be surprised if we are not on c 1k daily admissions today.
That is really hard on doctors and nurses, let alone the poor devils admitted + families