UK requires TWO neg tests to exit isolation, ZERO, per CDC!

[SheltieLover]

Eric Feigl-Ding
@DrEricDing
Epidemiologist & health economist. Senior Fellow
@FAScientists
. Former 16 years
@Harvard

Dear CDC—Flag of United Kingdom@UKHSA requires not just 1 test but **2 negative** #COVID19 tests in order to exist isolation before 10 days. But somehow a 5 day exit with 0 negative test is okay in Flag of United States? American exceptionalism does not apply to a pandemic virus.



On Edit: https://mobile.twitter.com/DrEricDing?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

[madville]

1. It would be unenforceable and

Where would we get the tests? Is it two negative at-home rapid tests? Two rapid test negative tests professionally administered? PCR tests with 1-2 day turn around times? Does someone have to drive 20-30 miles to a testing site? Who tracks it? Who pays for it?

[LisaL]

2. There is a shortage of tests at the moment.

If tests were required to end quarantine, most people would be unable to find tests and quarantine would never end.

[SheltieLover]

3. Perhaps, but better than CDC not recommending ANY neg test

[róisín_dubh]

4. I'm in the UK right now, arrived on the 9th.

If you are fully vaccinated you do NOT need two tests, just one PCR on or before day two after arrival. You must pay for and register your test before departure on a travel form that is verified by the airline. Then, track and trace usually checks up on you to ensure you’re quarantining until you test negative. I don’t think anything has changed.
You can get a PCR at the airport.
You must pay for it and it is expensive (£69 at the cheapest).
I’m flying back to the US next week. I have to test before departure and then I’ll test on arrival and two days later.

[SheltieLover]

6. The OP is for those positive for covid,not just travelers

I trust Dr. Ding's info.

Safe travel!

[róisín_dubh]

8. Duhhhhh, reading comprehension error.

Thanks 🙏

[SheltieLover]

9. Np

Travel is on your mind, understandably.

I, on the other hand, have been isolating at home, fully stocked necessities, with no plans to go near maskholes.

Different perspectives.

Be safe, my friend!

[róisín_dubh]

27. Yeah it's been a nightmare split between...

2 continents.
You stay safe as well. Cheers!

[Demsrule86]

26. It is not possible and you can test positive for Covid for several months even when you are no

longer contagious. And it is believed you are contagious in the early stages of Covid and not the later stages according to scientists. Who is going to pay for people being out of work for possibly months and as you noted the tests are expensive. People would lose their jobs.

https://www.bu.edu/sph/news/articles/2021/covid-19-is-most-transmissible-2-days-before-3-days-after-symptoms-appear/

"Now, a new study co-led by a School of Public Health researcher has found that individuals infected with the virus are most contagious two days before, and three days after, they develop symptoms."

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. In the UK, every person can get two boxes of seven tests each, for free, every day. Without access

Last edited Tue Dec 28, 2021, 09:28 AM - Edit history (1)

to tests, this guidance is garbage.

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. In theory, yes. But there's now a shortage of the free tests.

See https://www.democraticunderground.com/108821254 for how this meant a DUer had to spend Christmas alone.

[BlackSkimmer]

7. Funny how once it becomes clear we've failed in terms of testing...

Now we don’t need them! How convenient!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

19. Can't Disrupt Capitalism.

[BlackSkimmer]

20. Yup. Lots of politicians whistling merrily past the graveyard.

Smh.

[leftstreet]

23. +1

unfuckingbelievable

[helpisontheway]

33. Exactly!! Just like we were told that we did not need masks at the beginning of the pandemic..

All because they did not have enough for healthcare workers.

[FBaggins]

10. To be fair - there's little evidence that it's helping them

It certainty isn’t keeping their infection numbers down

[SheltieLover]

11. Allowing potentially contagious persons back to work per CDC most assuredly will not help

There is no way to know whether UK's policy is helping to contain the spread.

[FBaggins]

14. "Meh... couldn't hurt" it's not a standard for public policy

If asymptomatic people are infectious five days later to any significant degree, that risk is dwarfed by the people who are already in the office and don’t even know that they have it.

The CDC is saying that the risk of infection after five days without symptoms is not a significant risk. They certainly have access to more data than you do. The UK’s current practices don’t refute that. Given a non-infinite number of tests available, it’s entirely reasonable to use those to identify more cases than to use three on someone who never had symptoms.

[greenjar_01]

16. Not me agreeing in Fbaggins! You finally found one where we're on the same page

[FBaggins]

17. So sorry

I’ll try harder next time

[SheltieLover]

30. See post #12 below.

[greenjar_01]

34. LOL

No post #12 exists in this thread for me.

[SheltieLover]

29. That's your opinion. I prefer to follow Dr. Ding, as he has been 100% correct for nearly 2 yrs

[FBaggins]

36. He's been 100% correct for nearly two years?

That's a bit of a stretch.

[Demsrule86]

28. You are contagious 48 hours before symptoms begin and three days after. We have no paid leave

in this country...most states are not paying unemployment benefits for Covid. Ohio isn't. My husband was out two weeks before Christmas and lost two weeks' pay. You can test positive after you have the vaccine and for several months after you have Covid. I see no evidence this is helping the Brits anyway. And with our lack of leave, people would starve and or be tossed out of their homes.

Biden is going to back the states and let them handle it which should take some of the politics out of it. I think it is a smart idea and I have no issues with the five-day Covid quarantine. It also might mean those with symptoms who refuse a test because they can't be out of work for months and are afraid they will starve might now get the test.

https://www.bu.edu/sph/news/articles/2021/covid-19-is-most-transmissible-2-days-before-3-days-after-symptoms-appear/

[Celerity]

12. here is the actual tweet thread

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[SheltieLover]

13. Ty so much!!!

[Celerity]

15. yw

[BlackSkimmer]

21. Wow.

We are so screwed.

[BannonsLiver]

22. Ding?

Is he still pushing his merch?

[Ace Rothstein]

24. Only when his hair isn't on fire.

[SheltieLover]

32. Yup, still advocating for safety, to those wise enough..

[Demsrule86]

25. That is all very well and good except for the fact that you can continue to test positive for up to

three months. You are no longer contagious at this point. And we have no paid leave in this country and in most states, Covid isn't a reason for unemployment compensation. I know for a fact in Ohio, you can't collect unemployment because we lost two weeks of pay. Hubs had to be isolated for two weeks before returning to work...from the day of the test. Many won't get the test even if they are sick because they fear losing their jobs. This is one of the reasons cases are increasing IMHO. So the constant comparing of the US to other countries is useless...wouldn't work here.

[fescuerescue]

31. They should make it 10. That's 5 times safer.

And who wouldn't;'t want to be 5 times safer??

[BGBD]

35. Feigl-Ding ..

The king of doom scrolling Twitter.

He's not a good source. He's been breathlessly shouting doom for 2 years over every piece of news. He had no profile before and now his social media stardom relies on keep people scared. Even as bad as things have been, he has managed to inflate his predictions beyond it.