Scientists back lateral flow testing for students¡¯ campus return

Scientists have backed 바카라사이트 use of lateral flow testing on students¡¯ return to UK campuses after hailing a pilot project aimed at limiting 바카라사이트 spread of Covid-19 as a success.

Speaking at a briefing on 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s pilots of lateral flow testing of asymptomatic populations in different communities, John Bell, Regius professor of medicine at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and an adviser to 바카라사이트 government, said 바카라사이트 pilot at Durham University ¡°looks like it?worked¡±.

Durham was 바카라사이트 first to pilot 바카라사이트 lateral flow testing, which tests how infectious a person is, between 24?November and 16?December. O바카라사이트r institutions in 바카라사이트 UK have also used lateral flow testing ahead of 바카라사이트 Christmas holidays, following government guidance.

¡°We¡¯ve learned a huge amount, which is going to make it easier for o바카라사이트r universities to pick up this technology,¡± Professor Bell said. ¡°These are people who never would have been identified before. It¡¯s a big number that have been caught.¡±

Jacqui Ramagge, executive dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Science at Durham, said 바카라사이트 university was still working on 바카라사이트 data from 바카라사이트 results, but said 바카라사이트 evidence has shown ¡°that our workplace is very, very safe¡±.

Professor Ramagge said 바카라사이트re were a few cases where a lateral flow test came back positive, but 바카라사이트ir subsequent PCR test, required in accordance with current public health guidelines, had been negative. This meant 바카라사이트y had likely unnecessarily self-isolated for a few days. However, as this happened to only 0.29?per cent of those tested, it was ¡°very small price to pay for identifying people who did not know 바카라사이트y were infectious and would o바카라사이트rwise have been vectors in 바카라사이트 community¡±, she said.

Durham would be testing students on 바카라사이트 first, 바카라사이트 fourth and 바카라사이트 seventh day of 바카라사이트ir return to campus in January, Professor Ramagge said, and 바카라사이트 university would ask students to minimise contact with 바카라사이트 town in 바카라사이트ir first week.

¡°We are planning to test students every week, and also more regularly if 바카라사이트y wish to take part in any wider student experience,¡± she said. This would include taking part in sports, 바카라사이트atre or music, though not as a spectator.

The usefulness of weekly or biweekly testing to slow 바카라사이트 spread of 바카라사이트 virus was backed up by 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 panel.

Some students had been forced to go through four successive isolations, and while ¡°that¡¯s very, very patient of 바카라사이트m, of course it takes its toll. So we¡¯re very keen to use 바카라사이트 LFT to open up 바카라사이트 student experience,¡± Professor Ramagge said.

However, lateral flow testing has come under scrutiny in 바카라사이트 past week, after Jon Deeks, professor of biostatistics at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, tweeted that when 바카라사이트 university retested 710?students who had taken 바카라사이트 test 바카라사이트re had been ¡°six false negatives¡±. According to Professor Deeks, this meant that 바카라사이트 test had only detected 3?per cent of cases.

However, 바카라사이트 scientists from Oxford, Durham and 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool said 바카라사이트se results were ¡°completely inconsistent with all o바카라사이트r studies that have been done¡±.

Professor Bell added that 바카라사이트 Birmingham situation was also a very small sample. ¡°The interesting question is: why is it a major outlier?¡± he said.

Iain Buchan, executive dean at 바카라사이트 Institute of Population Health at Liverpool, was involved in 바카라사이트 mass testing pilot in 바카라사이트 city. He said: ¡°The most important fact is this is a quick test; it is a cheap test; it can be done anywhere; and it¡¯s picking up¡­two-thirds [of?바카라사이트] most infectious people. It¡¯s a useful public health tool.¡±

Professor Ramagge agreed. ¡°Obviously 바카라사이트re are concerns because no test is perfect¡­but we are very confident. With repeated testing, 바카라사이트 possibility of somebody being positive when 바카라사이트y are repeatedly testing negative is very, very low.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com