Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #testandTrace
Most recents (24)
@covidinquiryuk Does anyone know if this £500million pandemic contact centre paid for in 2017 was used during 2020/2022 #COVID pandemic?
Why then did we need to pay £37 billion to Dido Harding for #TestAndTrace ? !!
#CovidInquiry
#CovidCoverUp
theguardian.com/government-com…
Why then did we need to pay £37 billion to Dido Harding for #TestAndTrace ? !!
#CovidInquiry
#CovidCoverUp
theguardian.com/government-com…
@covidinquiryuk Does anyone know if £37 Billion was in fact an administrative typo?
#CovidInquiry
#CovidCoverUp
fullfact.org/health/test-an…
#CovidInquiry
#CovidCoverUp
fullfact.org/health/test-an…
@covidinquiryuk Whats full breakdown of £37B?
End Oct 2020 £478M on contact tracing.
£464 million on “contain”.
Baroness Dido Harding said “a great proportion of the money” on local tracing, Councils to decide.
David Williams said, to Nov 2021 was £5.7b
fullfact.org/health/test-tr…
End Oct 2020 £478M on contact tracing.
£464 million on “contain”.
Baroness Dido Harding said “a great proportion of the money” on local tracing, Councils to decide.
David Williams said, to Nov 2021 was £5.7b
fullfact.org/health/test-tr…
The EU is sanctioning 378 Russians over the #Ukraine invasion, the UK has sanctioned 5. @BorisJohnson and half his cabinet are a national security risk. 
Rogue is currently in #Ukraine. If you want to support our work see our links. As well as intelligence gathering, Rogue plans to buy supplies for the locals he comes into contact with our reserves. mi6rogue.com/donate
cash.app£MI6ROGUE
cash.app£MI6ROGUE
What did you do when the far-right came, what will you tell your children's children when they ask you "what did you do" ...
Since 2015, Owen Paterson MP has been a paid consultant to Randox, a diagnostics group
Paterson, MP for North Shropshire, has disclosed that he is paid £8,333 for 16 hrs work as an advisor a month by Randox, totalling more than £500,000
committees.parliament.uk/committee/290/….
#lobbyingscandal
Paterson, MP for North Shropshire, has disclosed that he is paid £8,333 for 16 hrs work as an advisor a month by Randox, totalling more than £500,000
committees.parliament.uk/committee/290/….
#lobbyingscandal
2017
Two employees of Randox Testing Services arrested, with 484 police inquiries based on toxicology results under review
At the time, it raised the possibility that hundreds of people could have been the victims of miscarriages of justice
theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/f…
Two employees of Randox Testing Services arrested, with 484 police inquiries based on toxicology results under review
At the time, it raised the possibility that hundreds of people could have been the victims of miscarriages of justice
theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/f…
December 2018
More than 40 drug driving prosecutions quashed over manipulation of data at Randox forensics lab
Police called the scandal the worst evidence breach in “living memory” and fear that the figure could double
archive.md/OSZYH
More than 40 drug driving prosecutions quashed over manipulation of data at Randox forensics lab
Police called the scandal the worst evidence breach in “living memory” and fear that the figure could double
archive.md/OSZYH
Dear folks enjoying the weekend—reminder that while things may seem fine in the streets, countless hospitals and healthcare workers are exhausted & are near burn-out. Please be considerate of them and your fellow neighbors. #vaccinate #MaskUp #ventilate #TestandTrace
2) 700,000 #COVID19 deaths is more than Us deaths during the 1918 pandemic. Let that sink in.
3) We are killing our next generation slowly during #COVID19… by leaving behind more single mothers and fathers and orphans.
1) "A change to the main list of #COVID19 symptoms is “in process” after months of inaction"@PHE_uk
"how can we expect families to know when to get their child tested, & when to stop sending them into school so that they then reduce
#longcovidkids
bit.ly/3o0FAd0
"how can we expect families to know when to get their child tested, & when to stop sending them into school so that they then reduce
#longcovidkids
bit.ly/3o0FAd0
2) the risk of transmission"
LCK would like to see the 🇬🇧 #COVID19 symptom list align with the @CDCgov 🇺🇸 list which includes the symptoms that our families have been reporting since LCK started.
A source who used to work for #testandtrace highlights
LCK would like to see the 🇬🇧 #COVID19 symptom list align with the @CDCgov 🇺🇸 list which includes the symptoms that our families have been reporting since LCK started.
A source who used to work for #testandtrace highlights
3) that clinical caseworkers were identifying trends in the variability of symptoms in kids as far back as a couple of months after the service went live in 2020.
Concerns were fed back continuously but the guidance about what symptoms
#TestToProtect
bit.ly/2W7jIB6
Concerns were fed back continuously but the guidance about what symptoms
#TestToProtect
bit.ly/2W7jIB6
Michael Gove confirms:
🔴 Govnt believes that domestic COVID passes could have "an important role to play"
🔴 He met with event organisers in Israel "successfully" using the "Green Pass"
🔴 Govnt can trial COVID passes in certain settings:
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statem…
🔴 Govnt believes that domestic COVID passes could have "an important role to play"
🔴 He met with event organisers in Israel "successfully" using the "Green Pass"
🔴 Govnt can trial COVID passes in certain settings:
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statem…
🗓️ For MONTHS Govnt ruled out Covid passes for domestic use.
Today Baroness @SalBrinton asked why there are plans for "unreliable tests as the mainstay for its passport scheme when ministers and experts have said this is wrong?"
Today Baroness @SalBrinton asked why there are plans for "unreliable tests as the mainstay for its passport scheme when ministers and experts have said this is wrong?"
👀 "Can the Minister guarantee maximum transparency during the review - and commercial #lobbying for such certificates in particular..?"
Baroness Chakrabarti warns of the risks of Covid passes to discrimination and privacy rights.
Baroness Chakrabarti warns of the risks of Covid passes to discrimination and privacy rights.
🧵From 12th April, certain businesses are legally required to ask every customer scan in using the #NHS #COVID19 app, or provide contact details.
While it's a legal requirement of businesses, there's *no legal requirement* of customers to do so...
gov.uk/guidance/maint…
While it's a legal requirement of businesses, there's *no legal requirement* of customers to do so...
gov.uk/guidance/maint…
Businesses are told *not* to make the QR code a pre-requisite of entry & another way to sign in *must be provided*, i.e. hardcopy, following GDPR regs.
Businesses have *no legal authority* to request your ID to check physical sign in details outside of the #NHS app
(contd.)
Businesses have *no legal authority* to request your ID to check physical sign in details outside of the #NHS app
(contd.)
We believe that this #testandtrace system in place from 12th April could be switched to a #VaccinePassport scheme within months if the Govt are satisfied with levels of compliancy.
We are concerned re: Data Impact Risk Assessment of this updated system rolling out
(contd.)
We are concerned re: Data Impact Risk Assessment of this updated system rolling out
(contd.)
Dangerous editorial by @jkaffash demonstrates selective blindness & historical amnesia.
Here's why. 1/13
pulsetoday.co.uk/views/editors-…
Here's why. 1/13
pulsetoday.co.uk/views/editors-…
Underplaying significance of American corporate raiders following recent annoucement of Centene's UK subsidiary takeover of GP practices ignores dominance of various US players now metastasised throughout NHS not least in @NHSEngland board 2/13
lowdownnhs.info/news/us-takeov…
lowdownnhs.info/news/us-takeov…
most notably #Mckinsey #UnitedHealth.
Business model of American privatised healthcare is built on fraud and denial of care. 3/13
economist.com/leaders/2014/0…
nytimes.com/2017/05/19/bus…
Business model of American privatised healthcare is built on fraud and denial of care. 3/13
economist.com/leaders/2014/0…
nytimes.com/2017/05/19/bus…
Oh boy! We're gonna have some fun with this one 🤣
@DHSCgovuk finally responded (after FOUR delays) to my #FOI request about the #JointBiosecurityCentre 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
TL;DR: Contradicting its own published statements, official procedures & Codes, #DHSC says it doesn't hold anything...
@DHSCgovuk finally responded (after FOUR delays) to my #FOI request about the #JointBiosecurityCentre 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
TL;DR: Contradicting its own published statements, official procedures & Codes, #DHSC says it doesn't hold anything...
Here is @DHSCgovuk's response:
whatdotheyknow.com/request/696875…
and, for reference, here is a snapshot of the GOV.UK page about #JBC, taken 4 days after #DHSC's reply:
web.archive.org/web/2021040210…
So, what did DHSC say? I asked for a copy of the "establishing document"...
whatdotheyknow.com/request/696875…
and, for reference, here is a snapshot of the GOV.UK page about #JBC, taken 4 days after #DHSC's reply:
web.archive.org/web/2021040210…
So, what did DHSC say? I asked for a copy of the "establishing document"...
...for the #JointBiosecurityCentre, a £9 BILLION* new directorate** of @DHSCgovuk, and...
__
*According @CMO_England's evidence to Parliament last July:
researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol…
**According to its webpage, "#JBC was established as a new #directorate within DHSC on 1 June 2020".
__
*According @CMO_England's evidence to Parliament last July:
researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol…
**According to its webpage, "#JBC was established as a new #directorate within DHSC on 1 June 2020".
1/. On 5 March 2020, the PM was asked why Britain hadn't locked down
He replied saying "one the theories is that we could #TakeItOnTheChin"
A year ago today - briefed by No.10 - @Peston revealed the govt strategy was to “allow the virus to pass through the entire population”.
He replied saying "one the theories is that we could #TakeItOnTheChin"
A year ago today - briefed by No.10 - @Peston revealed the govt strategy was to “allow the virus to pass through the entire population”.
2/. It was clear that @Peston & his “senior No.10 source” had not understood #HerdImmunity which - as every virologist will tell you - is an OUTCOME never a STRATEGY
Allowing #COVID19 to spread
without a vaccine would be madness & result in mass deaths.
Allowing #COVID19 to spread
without a vaccine would be madness & result in mass deaths.
3/. Rather than correct @Peston & his “senior No.10 source” @uksciencechief came out publicly to defend “the strategy”
#HerdImmunity without a vaccine is, by definition, not a preventative measure
What was going on?!!
The was no lockdown & the #CheltenhamFestival was starting!
#HerdImmunity without a vaccine is, by definition, not a preventative measure
What was going on?!!
The was no lockdown & the #CheltenhamFestival was starting!
#ToryCorruption & the #coronavirus scandal "The Thread!"
arcadis.com
NE Director @GavinBarwell
Awarded 1.5million consultancy contract via VIP fast track.
arcadis.com
NE Director @GavinBarwell
Awarded 1.5million consultancy contract via VIP fast track.
publicfirst.co.uk
Owner James Frayne (Friend of Dominic Cummings)
Awarded £840.000 via VIP fast track.
Owner James Frayne (Friend of Dominic Cummings)
Awarded £840.000 via VIP fast track.
admiralassociates.co.uk
Director Angus Collingwood Cameron (Business partner of Sir Humphry Wakefield, Dominic Cummings father in law)
Awarded £670.000 via VIP fast track.
Director Angus Collingwood Cameron (Business partner of Sir Humphry Wakefield, Dominic Cummings father in law)
Awarded £670.000 via VIP fast track.
How #Covid19 #vaccination rollout will change #TestAndTrace, and worsen inequalities in #transmission and outcomes? Let's act now.
New blog jackiecassell.com/self-isolation… @BSMSMedSchool
New blog jackiecassell.com/self-isolation… @BSMSMedSchool
@threadreaderapp unroll
1/3 Once >50s and clinically vulnerable people have had #Covid19 #vaccine, the tradeoff of benefits and #harms for #TestAndTrace and #asymptomatic testing in particular changes rapidly. My take at @bmj_latest #CovidUnknowns seminar yesterday
2/3 Big issue - when #hospitalisation #deaths low and the vulnerable protected, why would we ask #children #parents #essentialworkers and other non-Zoomocrats to #SelfIsolate, #test over and over to leave home? Listen to @bmj_latest #Covidunknowns webinar
3/3 Will we really ask the groups already most affected by #economic and #mentalhealth impact of #Covid19 to #SelfIsolate indefinitely when life opens up for others?
European countries have likely bought time by stopping/restricting UK flights to reduce 501Y.V1 (B.1.1.7) import. Vaccine rollouts are progressing, & spring is around the corner.
But what do the next few months have in store? What should we be preparing for? 🗓️🤔
#SARSCoV2
1/24
But what do the next few months have in store? What should we be preparing for? 🗓️🤔
#SARSCoV2
1/24
First, some good news: The fact we have a vaccine 💉 is fantastic🎉, & it will make a difference - but we likely won't have enough people vaccinated to really impact transmission levels in the next few months. We must hold fast to other methods until more are vaccinated.😷
2/24
2/24
More good news: Last spring & summer brought reductions in cases: the virus does seem seasonal.
This means spring🌸& summer🌞2021 should help reduce transmission📉, giving us a great window to scale-up vaccination before autumn🍂 & hopefully a break in strict restrictions.
3/24
This means spring🌸& summer🌞2021 should help reduce transmission📉, giving us a great window to scale-up vaccination before autumn🍂 & hopefully a break in strict restrictions.
3/24
So *how" to slow this @chrischirp? What is a #smartlockdown? #EssentialWorkers are exposed to many unavoidable contacts. We've offloaded nearly all #Covid19 risk on precarious keyworkers. #tier4 #lockdown #SupportToIsolate. Blog jackiecassell.com/time-to-suppor… & @FinancialTimes
We *know* this happened in Toronto. Data from UK? #TestandTrace @PHE_uk Let's have a #smartlockdown if we have to move away from #Tier4
@threadreaderapp unroll
Timely #ContactTracing does matter fighting #COVID19. In a new paper (➡️ bit.ly/394Ebuo) we study a bizarre #Excel error in England that caused 16k cases to NOT be contact traced. We econometrically can link this blunder to ~ 120k new cases & 1.5k deaths...🧵⬇️1/N
Studying non-pharmaceutical interventions to fight #COVID19 is HARD because we hardly ever isolate specific individual policies as often many measures are taken together (lockdowns, school closures, masks,...). For #ContractTracing we also have mostly correlational evidence...2/N
Enter the English Test&Trace system hastily built on, what appears to be a set of XLS spreadsheets giving us a consequential natural experiment. On Oct 4, PHE announced that ~ 16k #COVID19 cases were not correctly reported resulting in a large jump in reported cases.. 3/N
Looking back as we face a daunting #COVID19 winter: where did it all go wrong?
- We acted like we had an endless summer: didn't scale up #TestandTrace or plan ahead
- When cases rose, we hesitated. Priority on economy & freedom rather than lives means we're losing all three
1/6
- We acted like we had an endless summer: didn't scale up #TestandTrace or plan ahead
- When cases rose, we hesitated. Priority on economy & freedom rather than lives means we're losing all three
1/6
We live in a world where a lot of things - politics & the economy in particular - are swayed by feelings & confidence. Politicians are used to being able to 'say things until they're true'.
Sadly, this doesn't work for viruses. Most leaders have not adjusted accordingly.
2/6
Sadly, this doesn't work for viruses. Most leaders have not adjusted accordingly.
2/6
Scientific consensus on the #COVID19 pandemic: we need to act now.
One look at the authors list, and you'll see thought leaders in their fields; working diligently and with scientific evidence to make a difference.
"Just facts" in here, nothing else.
thelancet.com/lancet/article…
One look at the authors list, and you'll see thought leaders in their fields; working diligently and with scientific evidence to make a difference.
"Just facts" in here, nothing else.
thelancet.com/lancet/article…
The #herdimmunity approach is a dangerous fallacy unsupported by the scientific evidence
The Barrington Declaration for focussed protection towards herd immunity has no basis in science and evidence. Full stop. It is a misguided self-aggrandising document, similar to the one circulating with patient zero at the White House.
We do not have to choose between lives & livelihoods when fighting #SARSCoV2 - through effective #TestTraceIsolate & suppression, we can allow *everyone* to take part in an open society.
Join myself & more than 80 other #COVID19 scientists & experts - sign the #JohnSnowMemo
Join myself & more than 80 other #COVID19 scientists & experts - sign the #JohnSnowMemo
Why 'John Snow'? It's not just because winter is coming! John Snow is considered one of the founders of epidemiology - he traced a cholera outbreak in London to a water pump & removed the handle to curb transmission. Quick effective action saves lives!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Snow
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Snow
The letter says it best, but why do we stand against 'targeted shielding' & 'natural herd immunity'?
1. We do not fully understand immunity to #SARSCoV2 - we don't know how effective it is, or how long it lasts. It's irresponsible to lean on something we don't know will work.
1. We do not fully understand immunity to #SARSCoV2 - we don't know how effective it is, or how long it lasts. It's irresponsible to lean on something we don't know will work.
Michelangelo learned masonry in his youth. So if the whole monumental sculpture, painting, Latin poetry, design polymath thing hadn't worked out, he had a trade and a nice ordinary artisan life to fall back on. Would that have been so terrible?
Actually, yes. When humans have big, raging, urgent dreams and are blocked by authoritarian class and financial systems from pursuing them, the resulting mental and social health problems impact everyone around them.
Exclude the lower orders from higher education and higher art and they will make their own art and culture. The upper classes then try to appropriate the cool stuff and create an artocracy that serves the very ar(is)tocracy it's supposed to subvert.
1/3 Accelerated spread in parts of Quebec and Ontario remind us how rapidly #COVID19 can take hold. When case counts and the number of individuals potentially exposed are high, this places pressure on all parts of the #publichealth response.
2/3 #Publichealth authorities across 🇨🇦 are continuing to ↑ #TestandTrace capacity, but these resources have limits. At a certain point, reinstating some community-based public health measures is required to bring #COVID19 down to manageable levels.
3/3 We must also redouble our efforts to follow the other public health measures we know to be effective, regardless of where in the country we live. Learn more here about the actions you can take here: canada.ca/en/public-heal…
Govt had crucial opportunity to ramp up #TestandTrace over summer. But they didn't despite constant urging and questioning Now at avg 3.5 days turnaround and only tracing back 48 hours. Both need to be address as matter of critical urgency. @RoisinShortall #ThisWeek @thisweekrte
There's absolutely no monitoring of people coming in & out of air/ports. #Transport Minster talks about 'possibility' of antigen testing. But 10 days out from adopting #EU travel system, this is hopelessly inadequate @RoisinShortall #ThisWeek
'Pass the Parcel' continues on #Covid19 related travel. Nobody will take responsibility. Moves from Transport to Health to Justice. One of them has to get a grip immediately. In mid Oct move to new EU travel rules but no system to test, track and monitor. @RoisinShortall #Covid19
Looks like the #NHS #TestAndTrace #contactTracing app is finally here. Why did it take them so long?
It's of less utility to me right now given my #longcovid has me effectively housebound due to symptoms, but interesting to see the process of setting it up 1/n
It's of less utility to me right now given my #longcovid has me effectively housebound due to symptoms, but interesting to see the process of setting it up 1/n
Now I realise why I saw QR codes displayed at entrances to cafes etc over the summer 2/n
"We use automated-decision making to help determine which other users need to be anonymously alerted" - I wonder how accurate these automated decisions will be? 3/n
As #COVID19 cases rise in the #NorthEast new measures have been put in place. Everyone has their part to play & Govt must play its part too, supporting people to do the right thing & get #TestandTrace working
I know these measures will cause concern and involve sacrifices for many of my constituents. It is essential that we do everything that we can to stop the spread of the virus.
Some details can be found here:
gov.uk/government/new…
Some details can be found here:
gov.uk/government/new…
We need greater local authority involvement in #TestandTrace to find where the virus is & ensure our safety. With 15 other #NorthEast Lab MPs I've written to the Govt to get urgent answers on #TestandTrace, furlough scheme, support for businesses & local authority resources.
