Continue to be cautious to keep progress going
Commenting on the latest test and trace figures for England, Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said:
“These figures demonstrate how far we have come. COVID-19 cases continue to fall thanks to the vaccination programme, and to the continued efforts of the public to maintain social distancing and other infection control measures. Our NHS teams have also worked flat out to provide care for all patients, whatever their needs, and we would not have made this progress if it weren't for them.
“However, we must all continue to exercise caution, continue to monitor variants of concern, and make good decisions to sustain this progress, keep these figures going in the right direction, and avoid the sort of situation we experienced in January this year, with tens of thousands of people in hospital with the virus. Furthermore, even as infections fall, we will still need people power to keep up with testing and tracing, ready to act promptly to halt surges – the Government must therefore think carefully before reducing staff numbers.
“To support NHS teams, the Government must invest in the workforce and make sure we do not lose vital staff at this critical juncture. It must also provide adequate support to ensure people are able to self-isolate when required.”
