Living Not So Safely With Covid?

On Monday 21st of February, the UK government is scheduled to publish its 'Living Safely With Covid' measures. They are expected to include the scrapping of free, home-delivered lateral flow tests and a winding down of PCR screening. The requirements to self-isolate with an infection and to consider working from home are also likely to go (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/18/ending-covid-tests-and-isolation-may-cause-rapid-rise-in-virus-say-experts). A recent modelling study at the University of Warwick suggests, however, that a combination of mitigation measures and behavioural changes (including testing, self-isolation, mask wearing and increased home working), have currently reduced Covid19 transmission by 20-45%. The Warwick model predicts that viral transmission might well increase by 25-80%, if the population rapidly returns to an entirely pre-pandemic modus operandi. If the 'Living Safely With Covid' measures are as predicted, they are clearly not following the science. 'Politics, dear boy'.