A pilot study conducted by the University of Liverpool has found that mass rapid testing reduced COVID-19 cases in Liverpool by more than a fifth, with thousands of new cases potentially being prevented.
The study was run by the University’s Department for Health and Social Care and was launched in November 2020, finishing in April 2021, with the aim of improving detection of coronavirus by using lateral flow testing for people without symptoms.
Data from the study showed that new cases of COVID-19 fell by 21% compared with other areas up to mid-December, during a time when the UK variant of the virus made it more difficult to compare areas.
More than half – 57% or 283,338 people – in Liverpool took a lateral flow test as part of what Liverpool City Council said was a “world-first voluntary mass testing programme” for people without COVID-19 symptoms.
Results of the study showed that around 6,300 individuals declaring no symptoms tested positive by lateral flow – case positivity of 2.1%.
Liverpool’s community testing, compared with other areas, saw an estimated 18% increase in case detection and a 21% reduction in cases up to mid-December.
Iain Buchan, the University of Liverpool professor leading the trial, said: “The Liverpool pilot showed that community testing can work, and it works well if it is nationally flexible and locally grounded.”
Some scientists have questioned the use of rapid lateral flow tests, saying they might do more harm than good, and the US regulator has warned that the performance of the Innova test in use in Britain has not been adequately established.
Despite concerns about the lower accuracy of lateral flow tests compared to PCR tests, the Liverpool researchers said that the devices identified most cases with a high viral load.
The rapid turnaround times had a benefit too, as lateral flow tests give a result in 30 minutes, rather than needing to be processed in a laboratory.
283,338 Liverpool residents took a test using a lateral flow device as part of the study.
Kat Jenkins
This is a syndicated feed from Pharmafile
