Open letter
Stopping the lockdown and ending the epidemic by universal weekly testing as the exit strategy
Dear Mr Dominic Raab, Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Jeremy Hunt, Mr Matt Hancock, Mr Jonathan Ashworth, Professors Sir Patrick Vallance, Chris Whitty and John Newton,
The British public have so far been offered the strategy of alternating periods of lockdown and relaxation of restrictions. This approach is fundamentally flawed as it does not allow for a sustainable exit from the pandemic. We propose an alternative: universal weekly testing combined with contact tracing and isolation of positive cases.
Modelling suggests that universal weekly testing could reduce the R number below 1 without the need for lockdown, allowing society to function normally while controlling the spread of the virus.
We urge the government to implement a pilot study of universal weekly testing in a representative population to gather real-world evidence on feasibility and effectiveness.
If you are an epidemiologist, public health or population health expert and would like to sign this letter, please complete the form below.