Infection expert calls for return of free Covid tests

An infection expert has called for lateral flow tests to become free again as a new Covid variant spreads.

Unofficially called "Pirola", the new BA.2.86 variant is a mutated version of Omicron, which triggered a surge in cases in late 2021 and early 2022.

Prof Rowland Kao from the University of Edinburgh said it was important to track the spread and some people might not be able to afford the tests.

The Scottish government said the situation was being kept under review.

Public Health Scotland has found increased Covid traces in wastewater.

The BA.2.86 strain has already been found in several countries including Canada, Israel and the US.

However, it is difficult to determine how much the increase in Covid is due to the new variant.

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Testing for the virus has been scaled back across the globe and scientists say they do not have clear information about how rapidly it is spreading.

Previously, UK citizens could order packs of free lateral flow tests online from the government.

Public Health Scotland (PHS), the NHS body responsible for monitoring and managing the coronavirus, says the accuracy of wastewater testing is variable and results should be treated with caution.

Prof Kao told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show: "It is a very new situation.

"The important thing to remember is that Covid still has the capacity to surprise - we're not in any kind of settled pattern.

"We have signals that are telling us, even without any new variants, that Covid might be getting worse.

"We have this variant which is quite different from the things that have happened before."

He said that, so far, there was no evidence to suggest that the new variant was more harmful than previous variants.

However, the number of Covid cases in Scotland has been increasing since the beginning of July.

The exact number of cases is difficult to track as there is little testing in the wider community.

"If you find you have symptoms, you should be isolating if you can," Prof Kao said.

"If you can, get a lateral flow test, and I would like to see lateral flow tests become freely available again because a lot of the people who would be taking them, can't afford them.

"I know nothing is cheap, but a lot can be done by getting more data from people."

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Prof Kao said more data systems would be useful as the virus cannot be predicted using year-to-year trends yet.

"The fact that we've got this rise now tells us something is going on that hasn't happened before," he said.

"So we need to wait at least a couple more years before that settling down is likely to occur."

In response to the new cases, PHS and the Scottish government are working to bring winter vaccinations forward for those at the highest risk of becoming seriously ill from flu and Covid.

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This includes care home residents, those aged over 75 and those with weakened immune systems who were initially set to receive their vaccinations from mid-October.

"We know from past vaccines the protection declines roughly after six months, but there is still some protection," Prof Kao said.

"We have to do what we think is best now, and bringing forward these vaccines may help stop the spread.

"At the very least it should help to protect people against severe infection."

Jillian Evans, the head of health intelligence at NHS Grampian, said the health board had already seen an increase in the number of elderly patients being admitted for Covid since July.

She added: "Relative to what we saw last year, the numbers are still very low, but it's the trend, and it is a rising trend."

She said some markers such as wastewater testing and the ONS infection survey were effective at monitoring numbers "but we don't have all the surveillance measures, and that's a real pity as that's something you want to switch on quickly to keep ahead of the epidemic."

Ms Evans also urged the government to consider widening the winter vaccination programme to everyone over the age of 50.

"There is a cost associated with vaccination," she said.

"But the cost of not doing it - such as people being off work, going into hospitals - is something that needs to be considered."

A Scottish government spokesperson said: "Due to the success of vaccines in protecting people, and the availability of improved treatments, Scotland has moved to a more targeted approach to protect those in highest-risk settings.

"Testing remains in place for admissions into care homes, for those eligible for antiviral treatment, and in other circumstances where it is considered clinically necessary.

"This situation is kept under regular review, and any further changes to the testing regime will be based on the latest clinical and scientific evidence."