Growing concern that Covid cases in the UK are rising as the weather gets colder has sparked talk about the UK’s approach to tackling the virus.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said last week that there were “early signs that Covid-19 infection rates are rising as temperatures begin to fall”. However, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of cases in the US is declining.
Few people think of the United States as a “nanny state.” But when it comes to rules about what to do if you develop Covid symptoms, the country, generally seen as taking a laissez faire approach to policy and regulation, has taken a tougher approach than the UK.
We looked at how the two countries’ rules compare when it comes to isolation and testing, as well as the availability of booster vaccinations.
insulation
Language: IN THE USA “must Isolate yourself from others if you have Covid-19. “You should also isolate yourself if you are sick and suspect you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results,” says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the official health agency of the US government.
However, in the UK you would simply “try Stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you or your child have symptoms,” the NHS website says.
This is in line with UKHSA advice which states: “If you test positive for COVID-19, you should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people.”
UKHSA and CDC have the same role and responsibility for protecting public health from disease. The United States has no equivalent to the National Health Service, another important guide to public behavior.
So while the US advice is more of a must-have, the British advice makes lockdown much more optional, says Simon Williams, a sociologist at Swansea University who has studied public behavior and government communications since the Second World War. . The pandemic has begun.
Duration: Another difference is how long the insulation should last. In the US, the rules are to “stay home for at least five days” and “wear a quality face covering when you need to be around others at home and in public.”
If your symptoms improve after five days, you can stop isolating “as long as you have not had a fever (without taking fever-reducing medication) for 24 hours.”
However, if you had symptoms and were moderately ill (you had shortness of breath or difficulty breathing), “you should isolate until day 10.”
In the UK, people should try to stay at home for five days after test day, or three days for children.
After five days, only people at high risk should be avoided.
“Although most people are no longer infectious to others after five days, some people may be infectious to others for up to 10 days after infection begins.” “a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19, particularly in those whose immune systems put them at greater risk of severe illness despite vaccination,” the UKHSA website says.
Test
Attitudes towards testing also vary widely across countries.
In the US, this means testing a person to see if they have Covid symptoms, says Dr. Williams. “You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect you have Covid-19 but do not YET have TEST RESULTS,” the CDC says on its website.
In the UK, the National Health Service website makes no such assumption, noting that “you are no longer required to take a rapid test for Covid-19 if you have symptoms.” – According to the doctor. Williams emphasizes not taking the test rather than taking the test.
Meanwhile, the UKHSA website also notes that “most people no longer have access to free Covid-19 testing.”
Therefore, he divides his guidelines into two parts:
1. Actions you can take to protect others if you feel unwell, have symptoms of a respiratory infection, including Covid-19, and have not been tested for COVID-19.
2. Tips for people who have been tested for Covid-19 and received a positive test result.
amplifier
In the US, the CDC recommended last month that all Americans six months and older get an updated Covid vaccine.
The CDC said: “Most Americans can still get the Covid-19 vaccine at no cost. For people with health insurance, most plans cover the cost of Covid-19 vaccinations at no cost.
“People who do not have health insurance or whose health insurance does not cover the cost can receive free vaccinations at local health centers; state, local, tribal, or territorial health department; and pharmacies participating in the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program can also receive the vaccine from a participating provider.”
In the UK, the booster vaccination is available to all adults aged 65 and over, as well as people aged six months to 64 years who are at clinical risk, such as people with diabetes and pregnant women.
COVID-19 cases
Last week the UKHSA said there were “early signs that the number of Covid-19 cases is increasing as temperatures begin to fall”, adding: “The overall Covid-19 hospitalization rate has increased by 6.13 per 100,000 compared with 5.67 per 100,000 the week before.” “
Cases in the US are down 0.8 percent over the past week.
“There is a big difference between the US and UK in their approach to winter lockdown and vaccination policies. Britain is less directive and less cautious. “It will be interesting to see if this has an impact on the number of cases and hospitalizations,” the doctor said. Williams.
So what do Covid scientists think of the UK’s more relaxed approach to testing?
“It’s an interesting comparison,” says Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick.
“The US is taking Covid much more seriously, emphasizing the need for isolation to prevent the spread of the virus, as well as other precautions.”
“In the UK we are much more arrogant, we have very poor public health reporting and a dangerously relaxed attitude towards testing, mask-wearing, isolation and vaccination. The Covid virus is unpredictable and constantly changing. Ignoring the virus will not lead to its disappearance, on the contrary,” he said.
Professor Steve Griffin from the University of Leeds says the UK approach is “doomed to fail”.
“Absenteeism from work remains very high, particularly among teachers and other education workers and in the NHS. The solution to this problem is not to send people back to work when they are sick, but to prevent them from getting sick in the first place.
“In the UK we are essentially saying that we no longer have to worry about whether we will catch or spread a SARS-CoV2 infection or whether it will be like another respiratory illness. This is beyond insanity and goes against the grain of public health.
“Coupled with a scaled-down vaccination program whose rollout is hampered by both slow procurement of current booster jabs and a year in which the government says Covid is over, it means we are still seeing unacceptably high prevalence.” the result is collateral damage without population level restrictions,” says Professor Griffin.
However, Professor Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia believes that “the UK has more rights.”
“The problem with self-testing and isolating is that for it to work, you need to have a very high level of compliance,” he says, pointing out that people often don’t know they have Covid, especially since , that free Covid has recently appeared. tests. “So what is its value?” he asks.
Professor Francois Balloux, director of the Institute of Genetics at University College London, added: “I think the UK Covid guidelines are good. More targeted vaccination campaigns are likely to be more effective. The uptake of booster vaccinations in the fall of 2023 in the United States was dismal.”
“When it comes to the right to revaccination, just over a quarter of the UK population is eligible. This is largely in line with the policies of other European countries.”
“In the US, almost everyone is eligible for a booster shot, but given the poorer health status of the US population, applying the UK criteria will ensure that a much larger proportion of Americans will be eligible for a booster shot.”
Dr Renu Bindra, Deputy Director of Clinical and Public Health at UKHSA, said: “UKHSA and NHS guidance clearly states that if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection or test positive for COVID-19, you should try to stay at home and avoid contact with others, especially vulnerable people.
“This helps avoid transmission and is the best way to protect others. “This guidance also gives advice on what to do if you need to leave home with these symptoms or after a positive test.”
“Effective vaccinations and treatments significantly reduce the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and are available to people most at risk of becoming seriously ill.”
“To date, more than 7 million people have received a COVID-19 vaccine this year, and we continue to encourage those at higher risk of contracting the virus to come forward.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.