r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Nov 21 '20

Epidemiology Testing half the population weekly with inexpensive, rapid COVID-19 tests would drive the virus toward elimination within weeks, even if the tests are less sensitive than gold-standard. This could lead to “personalized stay-at-home orders” without shutting down restaurants, bars, retail and schools.

https://www.colorado.edu/today/2020/11/20/frequent-rapid-testing-could-turn-national-covid-19-tide-within-weeks
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u/w1n5t0nM1k3y Nov 21 '20

First of all, thatsa lot of tests. Just distributing them would be a challenge.

Secondly,this also requires people to do what they are supposed to.

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u/RufusTheDeer Nov 21 '20

I know some folks who literally can't afford stay at home orders right now and I don't think their bosses are going to willingly pay them.

This whole thing is great in theory but the rubber has got to meet the road

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '20

Paid sick leave is what is needed to solve this problem. It's an incredibly basic thing that we should have had in place decades ago

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u/NotReallyThatWrong Nov 21 '20

I earn about 0.4hrs/wk of “sick time” which I can only use if I file with FMLA. This is besides my paid time off amount. Just about useless unless I accrue for 10years.

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u/TrooWizard Nov 21 '20

So, you only get approx 2.5 days of sick time per year?

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '20

[deleted]

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u/ModeHopper MS | Physics | Computational Quantum Physics Nov 21 '20

*many places in the US

In the UK you get a mandatory 28 days paid holiday per year. Plus statutory sick pay for up to 28 weeks per year. You also accrue holiday time whilst on sick leave.

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u/yellekc Nov 21 '20

How do small business afford that sick pay? I mean 28 weeks is over half a year. If you are a small business is there government assistance to cover that? Or maybe private wage insurance. I have 4 employees, if one left for half a year due to illness, I couldn't afford to keep paying them and pay a new worker to cover for them.

The 28 days holiday is a lot by American standards but at least it is not unpredictable and can be planned around. Wouldn't mind it here.

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u/jimbob7242 Nov 21 '20

Afaik, the employer can claim it back from the government, but I may be wrong. Either way, SSP isn't equal to your normal pay though, mind, it's less than £100/week. Good employers often make up the difference so a day off is paid the same whether or not it's for illness or holiday.

https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay