Within days, there will be information that free Covid tests and £500 costs to isolate at home for people on low incomes will come to an end.
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Ministers and health chiefs having a meeting this week for making a strategy on how to ‘live with Covid’. The strategy will be revealed next week by Downing Street. Perhaps on Monday.
Living with Covid, free covid tests and isolation payment will be ended
Within days, there will be information that free Covid tests and £500 costs to isolate at home for people on low incomes will come to an end.
This step will potentially limit the availability of lateral flow tests and discard the recommendation for asymptomatic people to test regularly before leaving home.
On Tuesday, The Department for Health urged that they haven’t made any decisions. However, based on the Government’s Autumn and Winter Plan, the plans of “universal” provision of lateral flow tests will come to the end.
Covid test still be free for elderly
According to reports, the Government purpose now is to decrease the £15 billion annual statement for testing and isolation charges to about £1.3 billion. The Government’s plan is for individuals and businesses to settle for the tests, though the elderly may resume qualifying for free tests.
Another Covid test will be complimentary in hospitals and care homes
Starting from March 31, PCR tests may no longer be complimentary, except in hospitals and care homes. The use of lateral flow tests on days five and six after a positive test in case to permit the end of isolation may be dropped.
Last week, Boris Johnson declared all Covid rules, including the necessity to isolate after testing positive, would end on February 24, a month earlier than planned. However, it depends on the circumstances.
