i asked him earlier if pcr tests were more accurate and effective than lateral flows. i think this has been slightly dostorted. slightly distorted. lateral flow tests are excellent at detecting people with levels of virus that would equate to the infectious state, but pcr is very good at picking up very low levels of infection, so very early or very late stage infections. but actually lateral flow tests are good enough. if you have symptoms, a lateral flow test will be able to tell you whether you have covid or not. there is no argument about that, there is enough published data now to show that. my point about the pcr test, at the moment in some areas of the country the epidemic is now doubling every 1.5 days, and it takes two to three days to get a pcr result, so you have to question why we re doing all be pcr tests if it takes double
will have a positive test on lateral flow. much more likely than if you wait two days for a pcr or wait for that pcr result and you are feeling different and decide the kind of ignore whatever concern you had. so the link is between the human behaviour and the instant message that says, you have got to isolate, it is very likely you are infectious. it is very likely you are infectious. . ~ , ., , . it is very likely you are infectious. ., ,, , . ., infectious. thank you very much for our time infectious. thank you very much for your time today- infectious. thank you very much for your time today. we infectious. thank you very much for your time today. we are infectious. thank you very much for your time today. we are really - your time today. we are really interested to hear today how you are getting on with trying to get some test, please do get in touch and let me know how it is going for you. you can do that on twitter. i m joined now by one of the conservative mps who will
people who ve tested positive for covid in scotland are being asked to isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status or even if they ve had a negative pcr result. our home affairs correspondent david cowan reports. nicola sturgeon: we may be starting to experience - a potential tsunami of infections. tommy kane and his family are starting ten days of self isolation, a tough challenge and one many more will share as omicron spreads around scotland. what did you make of what the first minister said today? it was pretty grim. i thought it was pretty dire, and it was pretty brutal news that i think is going to have an impact on us all. but public health is of paramount importance, and if people need to take the necessary precautions to protect each other then that s what we need to do. last week he went to a football match and a concert in edinburgh, and somewhere along the line picked up the new variant.
scientists say three doses are now needed to protect against 0micron infection. we know that the booster doses give very effective protection. we do not know how long it will last. it may not be very long lasting. but the booster doses will be crucial. we cannotjust rely on the vaccine campaign to control those. we must wear masks and do all the other things we have learned to do too. health officials say this more contagion variant could cause more significant pressure for the health service. the scottish government is considering further restrictions from next week. the westminster government says current measures in england remain proportionate, and it will take further action if needed to protect lives and the nhs. katharine da costa, bbc news. household contacts of people who have tested positive for covid in scotland are being asked to isolate for 10 days regardless of their vaccination status or even if they have had a negative pcr result. our home affairs correspondent david co
a virus this transmissible at the beginning, or what is happening around the world in populations where the vaccines have not become available. indie where the vaccines have not become available. ~ , ., , where the vaccines have not become available. ~ , ., ., , , available. we should count ourselves luc here. available. we should count ourselves lucky here. thank available. we should count ourselves lucky here. thank you available. we should count ourselves lucky here. thank you for available. we should count ourselves lucky here. thank you for your - available. we should count ourselves lucky here. thank you for your time. | from today, household contacts of people who ve tested positive for covid in scotland, are being asked to isolate for 10 days regardless of their vaccination status, or even if they ve had a negative pcr result. the welsh government is urging members of the public to take a lateral flow test before going shopping or to christmas parties. and officials in