Several European countries are drastically reducing the number of COVID tests performed. Sweden has already restricted free tests to healthcare staff, social care workers and clinically vulnerable people, and only if they are symptomatic. The UK government has announced that free tests for symptomatic and asymptomatic people in England will end on April 1, except for tests for social care workers and those most at risk.
The motivation to put an end to mass testing is partly financial. Current levels of testing come at a staggering cost of around £2 billion a month to the UK government. Though, another motivation is to send a message to the public. By scrapping mass testing, governments intend to signal that the pandemic is coming to an end and that normality is returning.
