This is How COVID-19 Could End by Christmas, Study Reveals

Researchers at the University of Colorado and Harvard revealed that frequent rapid testing could significantly stop the COVID-19 pandemic in about a few weeks.

At Least as per the mathematical models, if 45 of everyone in a city were infected with COVID-19, if you test three out of every four people every three days, the number of infected patients will be reduced by 88%.

It is also "sufficient to drive the coronavirus pandemic toward extinction within six weeks."

Lead author Daniel Larremore said in a release, "Rather than telling everyone to stay home so you can be sure that one person who is sick doesn't spread it, we could give only the contagious people stay-at-home orders so everyone else can go about their lives."

Since the start of the pandemic, antigen tests are cheaper and can be performed at home. Besides, it is a good way to gauge infectiousness, according to Middletown Press.

However, antigen tests are not as accurate as of the more expensive PCR tests. But the study found that it doesn't matter. Larremore said that their big image finding is that it is better to have a less sensitive test today regarding public health than a more sensitive test tomorrow.

Read also: COVID-19 Patients Are Highly Infectious During the First Five Days of Showing Symptoms, Study Finds

Rapid testing could 'drive coronavirus to extinction

Harvard researchers showed that testing half the population weekly with cheaper rapid tests could drive the coronavirus towards 'extinction.'

Meanwhile, the government is set to announce major rapid testing programs in England's areas in the highest tier of COVID-19 restrictions following the end of the second lockdown.

According to Yahoo, the researchers said that the key depends on rapid tests' ability to stop asymptomatic individuals from spreading the COVID-19.

Michael Mina, a co-author, said these rapid tests would serve as contagiousness tests. These tests are extremely effective in detecting the virus when people are contagious. Mina also suggested the government send simple, cheap DIY tests to each house in the United States.

The result would be profound even if half of Americans tested themselves weekly and, if tested positive, would have self-isolation, he said.

Mina added that we could see the outbreak going from huge numbers of cases to very manageable levels within a few weeks.

The researchers then used mathematical modeling to foretell the effect of screening with different kinds of tests on three hypothetical incidents: in a university-type setting of 20,000, in 10,000 people, and a city with 8.4 million individuals.

On Monday, Boris Johnson will announce that rapid testing with military support used on Liverpool will be a part of the system. Repeat testing will be offered to close contacts as part of the plan, to people with COVID-19 that may not have started self-isolation.

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