Governments to revamp COVID-19 testing policies as Omicron cases surge

Countries like Israel and Britain are reportedly looking to revamp their COVID-19 testing policies as they seek to alleviate the burden on testing labs and cope with low kit supplies amid surging infections due to the Omicron variant.

During this time last year, massive vaccine rollouts came as the light at the end of the tunnel, indicating that the pandemic could soon be over. However, the advent of the Omicron variant has given rise to new challenges such as overloading public health clinics, even though it has been determined to cause less severe illness than the Delta variant.

As per sources, the available supply volume of testing kits has been insufficient for meeting the overall market demand. Last week, Spain's capital, Madrid witnessed several queues forming outside pharmacies due to the Omicron-driven high infection rates. Notably, the city government is currently prioritizing its hospitality sector and promoting increased testing, while holding off on imposing any restrictions on socializing.

The U.K. and Italy have also been seeing a sharp increase in demand for tests. The U.K Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported that it had provided 100,000 additional PCR booking slots per day since mid-December, and that number has now increased to 900,000 LFD and PCR test kits a day.

Meanwhile, Israel has opted to modify its quarantine and testing policy to save resources while safeguarding its vulnerable population. The country will reportedly earmark its PCR tests for people aged 60 a7 above, or for those with weak immune systems. Meanwhile, individuals with lower risk will be tested with rapid antigen tests.

The United States recorded a million new coronavirus infections on 3rd Jan, which is the highest daily infection count in the world and twice the previous U.S. record set in the prior week. The U.S. CDC is still backing its guidance for people to complete their COVID-19 isolation at five days.

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https://www.livemint.com/news/world/covid-testing-policy-put-under-the-microscope-as-omicron-sweeps-world-11641398509220.html