Scientists say that test-and-trace not fit for purpose

An independent group of scientists have argued that the government’s testing and contact-tracing system is not fit for purpose and will not be as successful in keeping coronavirus in check as other countries.

Former government chief scientific adviser Sir David King, who now leads the Independent Sage group, has warned that the measures in place in England will not be enough to pick up 80 per cent of the contacts of people with the virus, which they say is needed to prevent the infection rate rising.

He said: “The government has placed huge emphasis on their test, track and trace system in recent weeks, even labelling it ‘world-beating’. It is clear from our research that this simply isn’t the case – indeed, the system as it stands is not fit for purpose. This is the critical moment for the government to act now or risk further spikes. We believe that a new approach is required, one that moves away from a centralised system that utilises a local-first approach. We are calling on the government to urgently rethink their course to ensure that we have a system in place that will help and not hinder the country’s recovery.”

Independent Sage was set up partly in response to a lack of transparency around the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage).

It’s latest report claims that the coronavirus epidemic is still growing in some parts of the country, such as north-west England, and that an increasing lack of trust in the government will make it less likely that people will comply if they are called by contact-tracers and told they must self-isolate.

Independent Sage instead argues for a more comprehensive system than just test and trace, suggesting it should be ‘find, test, trace, isolate and support’.