In the week that all students returned to school, only 0.06% of rapid Covid tests produced positive results. The TES has the story.
Only 0.06% of the rapid Covid tests carried out in schools in the week that all pupils returned were positive, new statistics reveal.
More than 4.5 million lateral flow tests were taken in schools and colleges in the week between March 4th and March 10th according to Department of Heath statistics.
But they only picked up 2796 positive cases.
The question is, how many of these positive results really were positive? Earlier this month, Will Jones wrote here that “mass testing in schools was always a bad idea – cruel, intrusive, pointless. The high proportion of false positives, with their needless and disruptive requirement to self-isolate, only underlines that fact”. A report in the Telegraph also explained that infection levels are now so low that the majority of positive results could be false.
Biostaticians are concerned that infections in the community are now so low, that false positives and negatives are vastly outnumbering true cases, leading to real cases being missed and families needlessly being asked to isolate.
Pupils are currently being tested twice a week for coronavirus using lateral flow devices, but real-world data has shown they miss positive cases around 50% of the time.
Worth reading in full.
Stop Press: Figures show that children returning to school has not led to a rise in Covid infections. The Telegraph has the story.
A detailed analysis by Prof Jon Deeks, an expert in biostatistics at Birmingham University, has found that the number of positive cases among pupils are far lower than ministers expected.
“The big question is why is that happening? There are two explanations,” he said. “The first is that this test doesn’t work very well in children and it doesn’t detect the cases. And the other is that asymptomatic infection is much less common in children.
“If the reason is that there aren’t many cases, then this is good news. But if the reason is that the tests are missing cases this is bad news. And if we don’t know – that is very bad news.”
Worth reading in full.
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but schoolkids aren’t in danger of covid so why the masks? Is it because they can be spreaders? In which case why not jab them? Because we don’t know if the jab is safe? Or is it safe and there is another reason?
It’s probably because the teaching unions insisted on it in return for their support for the reopening of schools. Since the teaching unions are renowned experts on how respiratory diseases spread.
The “jab” is not approved by the regulator for use with under 16s. And in any case, according to the manufacturers, it does not prevent infection or transmission. And under 16s’ risk of death from COVID-19 is statistically zero. So no point in using it on under 16s.
Not that that will necessarily stop the government trying to do it.
“The “jab” is not approved by the regulator for use with under 16s”
I wonder why? They essentially ‘turned a blind eye’ for over 16s, the vulnerable, people on drugs, with existing conditions etc
“And under 16s’ risk of death from COVID-19 is statistically zero. So no point in using it on under 16s.”
I’d say that goes for under 50s too
I just dont understand why they want to jab everyone. why not just the vulnerable?
Sadly, I don’t think the health and wellbeing of the UK public is the only, or even the primary, factor being considered by the government in their vaccination programme.
I agree – it was panic for 3 weeks and then a year of arse covering and wishful thinking
Of course – as you know – there is no rationale that stacks up in any medical or epidemiological sense.
It’s all performance art.
0.06%:
I’m surprised it’s that high.
that is the FP rate
If anybody thinks this abuse of the young isn’t going to come bouncing back when they get control of the world then I have a bridge to sell you.
It’s been an utter disgrace. A complete abdication of the founding principle of a society – that we look after the future first.
the young have every right to be angry – the ones that will survive lockdown in any case
The transparent attempt to juice the case numbers has failed!
It never ends. How many of these damn tests has Johnson wasted our money on?
They now want to test everyone including ambulance crew going into care homes. Don’t these vaccines provide any worthwhile protection?
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-lateral-flow-testing-in-adult-social-care-settings/testing-for-professionals-visiting-care-homes