Covid-19: Few people with symptoms are self-isolating, study finds
Fewer than one in five people request a Covid-19 test if they need symptoms, while the amount who follow full self-isolation rules is low, an outsized study of the test-and-trace system has found.
The report, published within the British Medical Journal, also found only half the people knew the most Covid symptoms.
These include a cough, heat, and loss of taste or smell.
Experts said the findings suggested the impact of the £37bn NHS Test and Trace system was "limited".
The Department for Health and Social Care said test-and-trace had saved "countless lives", adding that the newest ONS data found the "overwhelming majority" self-isolated when asked to.
The findings are supported by 74,697 responses to online surveys from 53,880 people aged 16 or older living within the UK.
In total, 37 survey waves were administered from 2 March last year to 27 January this year, with about 2,000 participants in each wave.
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Experts involved within the study, including from Public Health England's behavioral science team, found that just 18% of those with coronavirus symptoms said that they had requested a test, while 43% with symptoms within the previous seven days adhered to full self-isolation.
Men, younger people, and people with young children were less likely to self-isolate, as were those from more working-class backgrounds, people experiencing greater financial hardship, and people working in key sectors.
Common reasons for not fully self-isolating included wanting to attend the shops or work, for a medical need aside from Covid-19, to worry for a vulnerable person, to exercise or meet others, or because symptoms were only mild or got better.
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What is test-and-trace?
Test-and-trace, or contact tracing, maybe a system for identifying people that are in close contact with someone who has caught Covid.
Those people are then asked to self-isolate for 10 days - albeit they need no symptoms - to stop the prospect of passing the virus on if they are doing have it.
Each UK nation has its own contact tracing service:
England - NHS Test and Trace
Scotland - Test and Protect
Wales - Test, Trace, Protect
Northern Ireland - Contact tracing service
Read more - how does test-and-trace work?
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The report's authors, who also included experts from King's College London, said: "With such low rates for symptom recognition, testing, and full self-isolation, the effectiveness of the present sort of the UK's test, trace, and isolate system is restricted ."
However, the team did acknowledge that while adherence to check, trace and isolate rules had been low, "some improvement has occurred over time".
Across all waves, 43% of individuals adhered to rules around self-isolation, though this improved in January to 52%.
According to the newest Office for National Statistics data, 90% of individuals told they need to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace after being in touch with a positive Covid case did so.
The authors said greater practical and support was likely to enhance adherence to the principles, adding that targeted messaging and policies for men, younger age groups and key workers may additionally be necessary.
Last month, the Commons Public Accounts Committee said the impact of NHS Test and Trace was still unclear, despite the govt setting aside £37bn for it over two years.
MPs said the spending was "unimaginable" and warned the taxpayer couldn't be treated like an "ATM".
And in December, the National Audit Office also criticized the scheme, saying it had not yet achieved its objectives.
Paulette Hamilton, vice chairwoman of the Government Association's community wellbeing board, said the findings of the newest study were "concerning".
She said: "Although the rollout of the vaccine is providing us with the hope of a return to our normal way of life, the responsibility on us all to urge ourselves tested when necessary and share our contacts for the asking are going to be needed for a few time to return, to stay case rates as low as possible.
"It is additionally critical that everybody does the proper thing and self-isolates when required. Key to the present is ensuring people understand what self-isolation means, feel ready to comply, and are supported to try to do so if necessary."
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Meanwhile, the top of the NHS has urged anyone eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine to book one immediately - and for people to show up for second doses when called.
NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: "We're well on target to satisfy our 15 April goal of offering NHS Covid vaccination to everyone aged 50 and over, also as other high-risk groups.
"In just the past fortnight, we've now jabbed nearly 85% of individuals aged 50-54, and over three million of the highest-risk people have also now had their top-up second dose."
The call comes as Wednesday's daily coronavirus figures showed continued falls in deaths, hospital admissions, and infections.
There were 43 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, 268 patients admitted into hospital and 4,052 new cases recorded, with the seven-day averages down by 39.9%, 22.6%, and 11.5% respectively.
A Department for Health and Social Care spokesman said: "Since last May, NHS Test and Trace has contacted 3.2 million people that tested positive, and another 6.4 million of their contacts.
"Behind these numbers are countless lives saved and therefore the latest ONS figures show that when people are asked to self-isolate, the overwhelming majority do so.
"It is significant that folks still do their bit by isolating once they are asked to.
"As the prevalence of coronavirus falls, our testing and tracing system becomes more important in identifying and suppressing local outbreaks while also responding rapidly to the threat of latest variants."
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