This is a grassroots campaign being set up with the aim of introducing universal testing of the UK population of approximately 66 million to protect older people, those with pre-existing medical conditions and front line medical staff from contracting the coronavirus.

What are the problems?

The current strategy of solely testing people that have been admitted to hospital with suspected coronavirus or if there is an outbreak in long-term care facilities, or prisons, it does not enable the NHS to: [a] identify who is infected ; [b] isolate those infected; [c] contain  the spread of the disease, and; [d] effectively direct resources towards those in genuine need of medical care. 

When the first 2 cases of coronavirus were identified in January an opportunity was missed to test and isolate those infected to prevent the spread that we currently see in the UK.

Self-isolating for 7 day's when people present symptoms of the coronavirus has meant that there are now 1 in 4 Doctor's absent from work - many of whom may not have the virus- which is impairing the ability of the NHS to effectively tackle the pandemic.

People who may not know they have the virus - as they are not presenting symptoms but are carriers - may be unintentionally contributing to the spread.

UK nationals returning to the UK especially from countries with high rates of infection such as, China, Italy, Spain, Germany and Iran are not being tested for coronavirus and / or being quarantined for the incubation period, [  currently believed to be 2 weeks]. This may have also contributed to the massive spread of the disease in the UK.

It must be recognised that what happens in other countries can affect us in the UK as due to globalisation health is not private, as prior to the imposition of the control measures we lived in herds. As such, our own individual health is often directly reliant on the health of others.

An opportunity has been missed by the UK to re-direct much of it's relatively generous world aid budget of 2 per cent of GDP to developing countries to enable their own over-stretched hospitals to deal with this pandemic. Not only is this the right thing to do, it also helps to protect people in this country.

The NHS is over-stretched to bursting point due to funding that has not kept pace with the demand for it's services. An overstretched and in some cases 'bare boned' NHS needs assistance to effectively target scant resources to those in genuine need of medical care. 

There are no current accurate figures for infection rates in the UK and without universal testing it is not possible to identify any geographical clusters of infections and / or the demographics of age, sex, race, disabilities and health status of those infected.

Current strategies to deal with the pandemic are ineffective as hand-washing with soap and water will not kill coronavirus, social distancing of remaining 2 metres apart will ofter little protection from an an airborne virus. Moreover, as the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, the Primeminister, Boris Johnson, and the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock have all reportedly tested positive for coronavirus, it is indicative - assuming they are following their own advice- that their strategy is ineffective.  

A 'one size fits all' disproportionate, isolation policy will have potentially serious economic consequences for the UK economy as people who are fit are economically inactive leading to lost tax revenues, increased benefit payments, government bailouts of up to 80 per cent for some employees / self employed contractor's, and; increased borrowing that will have to be repaid by future generations of tax-payers.

What is the solution to this problem? 

The government to immediately procure a sufficient supply of coronavirus testing kits of good quality - from a reputable source - to enable the NHS to test and periodically re-test, [ if necessary] the UK's  entire population.

Everybody to be tested for the coronavirus - with no exceptions- apart from those with valid medical reasons for not testing that must be supported with credible medical evidence provided by a suitably qualified medical practitioner. 

This would have the benefits of reducing infection rates through effectively identifying those infected, isolating them, containing the spread of the disease, and; enable the NHS to direct it's limited resources towards those in genuine need of medical care.

Universal testing will release uninfected front line medical staff from unnecessary self-isolation and redirect them back towards essential direct medical care delivery.

Uninfected people can then resume work, regain economic activity, pay taxes and keep state borrowing and national debt to an absolute minimum. 

I urge everybody, who wants to effectively 'test, trace and confine' the coronavirus to sign this petition.