Botched covid-19 test results in Britain led to thousands of extra cases
A new study shows that each false negative results in 0.6-1.6 subsequent reported infections
AMONG THE tools health officials have used to fight covid-19, the impacts of lockdowns, masks and vaccines have been well-studied. Testing, whose effect is hard to measure because it coincides with other pandemic-control policies, has received less attention. But thanks to a grim natural experiment, that is now starting to change.
This article appeared in the Graphic detail section of the print edition under the headline “An Immensa cock-up”
From the November 20th 2021 edition
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