The leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, Phélim Mac Cafferty, has hit out at the government saying ending free covid testing is “reckless”.
The government ended universal free testing in England on Thursday, 31 March, which will see testing centres removed from city parks and no more free lateral flow test kits.
Brighton and Hove City Council has confirmed it has no plans to fund lateral flow tests as it does not have the funding.
Green council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty is concerned the government is taking this route despite increasing infection rates nationally and locally.
Data for Brighton and Hove published on 23 March showed 2,795 new infections, up 20.5 per cent from the previous seven days.
Councillor Mac Cafferty described the government’s move as a “disgrace”, citing the increasing number of positive cases and hospitalisations at the council’s Policy and Resources Committee on Thursday, 25 March.
He said:
“This is exactly where we don’t want to be, and the government’s reckless plan to lift all public health measures, including scrapping free testing. I personally think it is a disgrace.
“Public health advice remains the same. If you feel unwell, take action to stop covid spreading.
“Meet outside or in well-ventilated spaces, and wearing a face mask indoors reduces risk. Take up your offer of a vaccine including the booster.”
He paid tribute to the 570 people from the city who have died with covid-19 since the start of the pandemic and those who have made “enormous sacrifices” over the last two years.
A city council spokesperson advised people to continue wearing masks indoors, preferably in well-ventilated spaces and suggested meeting outdoors where possible.
A council spokesperson said:
“Covid tests will continue to be available for free nationally to help protect specific groups including people at risk of serious illness, eligible patients, NHS and care staff, and those in other high-risk settings.
“We feel that free testing should continue to be made available for everyone, as testing is an important part of our defence against covid, along with mask-wearing and ventilation.
“But we have no capacity to do this without government funding.”
Free universal testing, tracing and isolation funding has cost the government and taxpayers more than £15.7bn between 2021 and 2022.
Pharmacy chains are launching paid-for lateral flow tests in the next month at £2 each.
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