19.08.20
Significant expansion of national testing study to offer new insights
As part of efforts to draw out new and further insights into coronavirus, a national infection survey being ran by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will expand from regularly testing 28,000 people per fortnight up to 150,000 people by October.
The significant boost to testing numbers for the ONS Covid-19 Infection Survey will help more clearly track the virus in the general population.
Ultimately, the survey aims to increase to 400,000 people across the entire project in England. ONS has also partnered with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to expand the research out across the four devolved nations, making the study the UK’s largest Covid-19 surveillance survey.
The expanded study will play a vital role in providing extensive data on the spread of infection weekly, helping to support rapid testing and diagnosis of Covid-19 both nationally and in areas of particular concern.
Efforts in the North West of England and London are being ramped up by the ONS in light of recent infection rate spikes in these areas.
Tens of thousands of homes have been sent letters inviting new participants to take part in the survey. Anyone who receives a letter asking them to participate in the study is encouraged to do so.
In partnership with the departments of health across the UK and led by the ONS and the University of Oxford, the survey uses routine swabbing and antibody testing to provide insight into the rate of infection and antibody levels in the community.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “This country now has the capacity to test for coronavirus on an unprecedented scale and this ONS survey will be a crucial part of this work – improving our understanding of the rate of infection in the population and how many people have antibodies.
“This will allow us to further narrow down the areas potentially affected by local outbreaks and continue our fight to curb the spread ahead of winter.
“I urge anyone who is able to take part in this study to do so – you will be playing a vital role in the fight against the virus. The data and insight gathered will help inform our national, regional and local responses to the pandemic, allowing this nation to get back to the things we love doing.”
Professor Sir Ian Diamond, UK National Statistician, added: “Vigilance is key to containing this pandemic and the extra data on the spread of infections and antibodies at local level will be invaluable to the planning of effective local responses.