Covid-19: Asymptomatic testing is “paused” in England’s hospitals and care homes

Regular asymptomatic testing for covid-19 in hospitals, care homes, and hospices in England will be “paused” from 31 August, the Department of Health and Social Care has said.Testing will also be halted in prisons and detention centres, as well as in domestic abuse refuges and homelessness settings. However, symptomatic testing in all of these high risk settings will continue. The government has said that the move is due to “low” prevalence of covid-19.The UK Health Security Agency’s chief medical adviser, Susan Hopkins, said, “Covid case rates and hospitalisations are on the decline, demonstrating the positive impact of the vaccines, which remain our best form of defence. The data from our surveillance shows prevalence is low and decreasing, and we will continue to monitor this data closely.”The government has said that testing will remain in place for admissions to care homes and hospices and for transfers of immunocompromised patients to and…
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