People trying to order the latest available lateral flow tests are discouraged from ordering packages when trying to access them online. Free LFTs will be reduced from April 1, with access only to those over 75 and over 12 with a weakened immune system. Everyone else should buy the tests. “Most tests are now needed for people at higher risk,” according to the government’s online ordering system. “Disaster” that NHS staff will have to pay for the exams Ministers have been accused of leaving NHS staff in the dark about whether or not they will have to pay for their own coronavirus tests. The NHS Confederation said workers could be forced to pay around 50 50 a month for exams if they had to pay for it themselves. Currently, health workers are still required to get tested twice a week for the virus. Danny Altman, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London, said on Monday that ending free coronavirus tests for healthcare workers was a “disaster”. He told Times Radio that it was “unfair, rude and simply unworkable” to expect NHS staff to pay for their own exams. Image: NHS staff may have to pay for their own COVID tests It comes as new data show that staff absences from NHS hospitals in England due to COVID-19 have increased by more than 30% each week, the largest increase since the beginning of the year. An average of 23,127 hospital staff in England – 2% of the total workforce – were missing every day last week, either because they were sick with the virus or because they were isolated. 200,000 children out of school with COVID Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi said about 200,000 children were out of school in England due to COVID, before promising more details on rapid tests this week when the free supply stopped. He said further information on the side-flow tests would be announced on Friday – when the no-flow tests were completed. Picture: About 200,000 children are out of school with COVID School leaders have also expressed concern about the “worrying” recent outbreaks of COVID in schools, warning that the issue could worsen when families have to pay for tests. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ association, said: “COVID cases have risen again in many schools over the past week or so – according to growing numbers nationwide. point seems irresponsible. “It will make it almost impossible to monitor and control COVID. There is a lot of anxiety from school principals about what could happen when the tests are not available.” Cases are on the rise in the UK According to the latest figures from the National Statistics Office (ONS), about one in 16 people in private households in England – or 3.5 million people – is likely to have COVID-19 by the week of 19 March. This is higher than one in 20, or 2.7 million people, last week and this is the third consecutive week that cases are thought to be on the rise. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:06 COVID cases increase by one million in a week The sharp rise in cases across most of the country is due to the Omicron BA.2 variant, a more contagious form of Omicron, the ONS said. Wales experienced its third consecutive jump in infections, with the number rising from 125,400 people, or one in 25 to 192,900, or one in 16 – a record high. In Scotland, cases have risen for eight consecutive weeks and have also reached another record high, with almost half a million people (473,800) likely having the virus last week or one in 11. That is higher than 376,300 or one in 14 last week. Northern Ireland is the only region in the United Kingdom to see infections decline for the second week in a row, with cases now estimated at 108,700, or one in 17, out of 130,600 or one in 14. But the overall data is further evidence that the virus is rapidly becoming more prevalent in the UK and is coming as the number of people being treated for the virus continues to rise. Enhancing piercings are offered this week More than 600,000 people will be invited for a COVID booster this week as infection levels approach record highs in England. Since the spring aid was released last week, more than 470,000 people have come for the piercing, NHS England reported. Image: Enhanced piercings will be offered to approximately 600,000 people this week Meanwhile, separate new data showed that less than half of immunosuppressed people in England had received a booster dose of COVID. In November, the Joint Vaccination and Immunization Committee (JCVI) announced that immunocompromised individuals – the group the NHS calls severely immunocompromised – who have a weakened immune system should receive a booster dose three months after their third major dose. But new data from the NHS England revealed that 255,422 of the 561,356 immunosuppressed in England had received a reminder by March 24.
