Responding to calls from 18 leading health charities for the Government to do more to support immunocompromised people, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: “Vulnerable people are once again being thrown to the wolves by the Conseratives as their big push to abandon all precautions is leaving many to live in fear and isolation.
“The Government’s own advice to vulnerable people says they should have people test before they meet and avoid crowded spaces to avoid infection. This means many continue to shield, but don’t get any additional support to do so.
“Ending access to free Covid testing will further isolate these people and cut off a key way they can protect themselves.
As well as the scrapping of free testing, it is being proposed that the £500 isolation payments for people with COVID will also end. This will increase the pressure – particularly on poorer working people – to continue going to work even with an infection, increasing transmission rates.
“Covid testing must remain available to everyone for free and Ministers need to engage with the millions of people who are still at increased risk to offer greater support.”