Telegraph readers on twice-weekly rapid Covid tests: 'It will be unworkable for many events'

It has been revealed that everyone in England, regardless of whether they have symptoms, will be offered free twice-weekly Covid tests from Friday as part of the Government’s plans to gradually ease lockdown.

The tests that will be used are lateral flow tests, which can provide results in around 30 minutes. While lateral flow tests may provide quick results, their reliability has been questioned by ministers, with health minister Edward Argar describing them as “still highly inaccurate”.

Are twice-weekly rapid Covid tests a good and practical idea? Read on for the best discussion points from our readers and share your own view in the comments section at the bottom of this article.

'What makes anyone think testing will set us free?'

@Freedom Addict:

"Lockdowns didn’t set us free, social distancing didn’t set us free, masks didn’t set us free. Now it turns out the vaccine doesn’t set us free.

"What makes anyone think that two tests a week is going to set us free?"

'They could be useful after holidays abroad'

@Kev Richards:

"More huge sums of our money wasted. Why would I need to keep testing myself once I have been vaccinated? The probabilities are too low to waste time and money.

"They could be useful for the unvaccinated in the short-term, but once most people have good immunity it just seems pointless. They could be useful after holidays abroad, however."

'A ramping up of testing at this stage is completely unnecessary'

@Thomas McLachlan:

"Ridiculous. It was obvious when Operation Moonshot was announced that it would be a chaotic waste of money as it was too far in advance.

"A ramping up of testing at this stage is completely unnecessary and this two tests a week idea simply seems to be an attempt to cover up for that obvious fact and to avoid the embarrassment of yet another wasteful policy blunder, if anything.

"Think how much of the billions blown on Test and Trace and Operation Moonshot could have gone towards things that people actually want? For instance, towards lower taxes and ways to help the economy, the latter being something that has also been deliberately cratered by this government."

'Common sense has left the room'

@James Bewsher:

"Billions more of mountainous debt to be spent on inaccurate tests. Common sense has left the room. What chance of population compliance? None I hasten.

"What is this vision of the future? Is the UK moving to a bizarre bio-secure authoritarian state? And why? If vaccination delivers herd immunity this is all unnecessary."

'It will be effectively compulsory'

@David Henry:

"At one level, this appears so ridiculous that one could suspect it is a belated April Fool's joke. However, the truth is much more sinister.

"At immense cost to the taxpayer and no significant health benefit, the populace is to be subjected to what will effectively be a compulsory testing and identity regime, since pressure will no doubt be exerted on major providers of services to insist upon it. If large numbers of people start taking the tests, it will be easier to make it effectively compulsory."

'Test regularly those who have not been vaccinated'

@Roger Feraille:

"If the vaccines work and everybody is vaccinated won't these tests be a waste of money? Test regularly those who have not been vaccinated."

'The risk of error seems to be massive'

@Hungarian Vizsla

"All the school and college kids take them and if watching my sons is anything to go by, most of them won’t be doing them properly or vigorously enough as they are rather unpleasant. The risk of error either way seems to be massive."

'There needs to be an alternative that younger people can use'

@Mark Smith:

"Makes perfect sense.

"Vaccine passports will be a reality as other countries will want them for entry. And given the roll out of first vaccines has ground to a halt there needs to be an alternative that younger people can use."

'This will further damage the hospitality sector'

@Andrew Cowell:

"If ever a strategy could be created to discredit vaccinations, foster division and further damage the entertainment and hospitality sectors this is it. Utter insanity, but of course polling will inform the government that the public is right behind this lunacy. I despair."

'It would be cheaper to suppress cases properly for two months'

@Emma Weisblatt:

"More expensive window dressing. It would be cheaper to suppress cases properly for two months. It’s bizarre to spend billions to do tests that miss half of infected people, rather than spend billions in actually getting cases down. Why on earth would you do this?"

'I don’t see what the problem is with doing the responsible thing'

@Sarah Stevenson:

"I have read so many negative comments here. It is voluntary. I don't see what the problem is with doing the responsible thing."

'Mass testing is unworkable for many events'

@Adam Gray:

"To date the Government has strongly favoured and hinted at mass testing as a route to opening the events industry. This is unworkable for many events. For instance should a requirement to attend an event be a negative test result, where does the cost liability of a ticket lie should you test positive?

"What happens if one member of a group tests positive and understandably the whole group doesn’t want to attend – can they all expect a full refund? If so, how is this feasible for any event organiser to plan and sell any event when the risk of returns is unknown and potentially unprofitable?

"Furthermore, in regard to weddings how would this work should the bride or groom test positive? Will all wedding suppliers be expected to provide a full refund or will they be expected to move costs to an alternative date, thus losing future earning potential?

"Will couples be expected to insure against the risk of this, if so what insurance company would do so when the accuracy of testing and risk of false positives are too great? Expecting wedding suppliers to provide refunds will be the final nail in the coffin for an industry that has been crippled by government restrictions."

'It’s a good way to nip Covid in the bud'

@Artichoke Boulevard:

"I’ve been doing this for six weeks now. It’s no big deal, and a good way to nip Covid in the bud."

What do you think about the news that everyone in England is to be offered free twice-weekly Covid tests? Let us know in the comments section below.