By Conall Hirsh-
Extortionate PCT Tests needs to be reviewed to assess its integrity, after many students have been questioning haye high prices charged for Covid tests to go abroad.
Covid has been a deal breaker for many people through out the pandemic, except perhaps for dodgy politicians, and many officials conducting tests who make a living by charging excessive prices whose profits are quietly shared by businessmen who have exploited this pandemic for their own gains at the expense of the public
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A study, conducted by the Airports Operators Association, found that PCR tests on average cost double in the UK what they would cost in many mainland European countries. The analysis found that on average a PCR test, which are necessary for most international travel at present, cost £128 in the UK. Yet the cost from 8 popular destinations in Europe was only £62 averaged, less than half the cost in Britain.
An R test is performed by repeatedly replicating target viral material in the sample to the point that it becomes detectable. The number of cycles before the virus is detectable is known as the cycle threshold (Ct). We have written previously about how PCR tests work, and how effective they are.
A positive test with a high Ct value may indicate a test from someone who had a very small amount of detectable viral RNA on their initial swab, and may not be infectious or have ongoing active infection.
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There are three different types of Covid tests: polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, lateral flow tests (LFTs) and antibody (or serology) tests.
PCR tests are used to directly screen for the presence of viral RNA, which will be detectable in the body before antibodies form or symptoms of the disease are present. This means the tests can tell if someone has Covid very early on in their illness. Questions as to why prices vary widely have been on the lips of many people since prices for testing were made known, not least among students whose analytical take on the effects of pandemic have been much undermined. Students have been presented as the biggest spreaders of the virus, almost ignoring their voices on the other suspect exploitations of the pandemic by several bodies, politicians, and companies, for financial gain.
Price tests range from as little as £20 for the Tui kit which contains one pre-departure lateral flow test and one inbound PCR test for day two, to the cost of most tests placed at around £100. Boots charges £65 for an at-home PCR self-test package or £99 for the in-store equivalent. Superdrug charges £119 per person for its at-home testing kit.
Most private clinics charge around £200 for the tests, but the most expensive private service on the government’s “find a travel test provider” list charges £575 for an on-site test kit for those travelling to “amber list” countries. This includes a home test package for day two and day eight after the customer has returned to the UK.
These types of Covid tests need to be sent away to a laboratory for analysis, meaning it can take days for people to find out their results.
Travellers flying out of the UK for a holidays are required to provide evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours for almost all countries, including when they depart the UK and when they arrive.
Txtoritonatehere are other clinical scenarios that can result in a positive test with high Ct value in someone who may still be infectious or who may soon become infectious. The claims in the Instagram post misinterpret clarifications released by the WHO.
Karen Dee, Chief Executive of the AOA, said “The cost of testing could act as a significant barrier to the meaningful restart to aviation. With UK pre-departure and post-arrival tests costing around double the average in countries like Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece, UK travellers are penalised for wanting to travel from the UK.”
Dee’s remarks display the problem that is posed to the travel industry – it’s not so much the actual testing which is detrimental to travel, but the incredibly high test costs.
Reasons Provided For High Test Prices
The fact PCR tests require a laboratory for their results to be determined has been presented as one of the reasons for their high prices. However, the fact these costs vary from country to country, and tend to be more expensive in wealthier nations like the UK confirms suspicions that various countries are charging prices as it suits them, exploiting the mandatory requirement for those tests.
It is worth noting that other countries, particularly in Europe, have begun to subsidize or even offer free testing in order to boost tourism.
France is offering free PCR testing, while Greece and Italy have set maximum prices of 40€ (£34) and 60€ (£52) respectively.
Chief Executive of the Association of British Travel Agents Mark Tanzer last week told the BBC “I can’t see anything in the UK that is different about PCR that means it is more expensive there than elsewhere.”
This raises the question why costs have remained so high compared to Europe. The Government has reportedly wasted billions already on PPE and the lacklustre Track and Trace program – wouldn’t subsidizing or buying PCR tests for the general public to travel boost economic activity in a much cheaper and more efficient fashion?
Henry Smith MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Future of Aviation stated “The sky-high cost of PCR tests run the risk of being a major disincentive to travel for many and the Government must ensure that these costs are kept as low as possible.”
“We simply cannot afford to have a framework that burdens people in the UK with double the testing costs of other European nations.”
If the UK is hoping to compete with Europe for the coming summer’s tourist season, the cost of testing must be addressed, and soon.
The government updated its ever evolving restricted country travel list, and to the dismay of many travel companies only allowed a further eight countries to join the green list, all of which are islands. Most notable additions include The Baleric Islands, Bermuda, along with several carribean island nations.
Yet easyJet has responded to the expansion of the green list negatively, stating the Government’s timetable is “simply not ambitious enough.”
EasyJet Holidays Chief Executive Gary Wilson continued to criticise the Government’s restrictions, describing the ‘delay’ in allowing doubly vaccinated people to fly freely was allowing the UK to “fall behind” Europe.
With the Government discussing this week dropping isolation rules for doubly vaccinated travellers later in the summer, there is currently no imminent plan to axe any restrictions.
There have been many calls to remove restrictions on vaccinated travellers, but individuals are still at risk of contracting the virus regardless of vaccination, especially with new and more transmissible variants appearing abroad. New Health Secretary, Sajid Javid has confirmed previous announcements that those who have been double vaccinated will be exempt from self isolation requirements. This can provide an incentive for those who want to avoid self isolation to take a second vaccination, which according to the British government , reduces the chances of becoming hospitalized, but also increasing the financial pool to those gaining tremendously from the vaccination programme.
Every positive and beneficial product cost money, it simply becomes a question of concern when businessmen and entrepreneur take advantage of a health emergency crisis to to expand their wealth. It can question their motive.
Testing remains the most effective and accurate way to track Covid-19, especially identifying travellers who may be unwittingly carrying it to another country, and should likely stay in place until the pandemic is undeniably in retreat.
It would seem that the most pragmatic way for the Government to aid the tourism industry’s plight without increasing Covid related risk would be to modify or subsidize testing. PCR testing should still stay in effect due to its effectiveness, but the UK needs to address their exorbitant costs, if they hope to compete with Europe, and win the trust of clued up members of the British pupil who have a brain to see what’s going on.
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