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Cash for Covid-19? UK says no decision on reported plan to give $900 to those who test positive

Cash for Covid-19? UK says no decision on reported plan to give $900 to those who test positive
People at a Covid-19 test centre in London on Jan 11, 2021.
PHOTO: Reuters

LONDON - Britain's environment minister said on Friday (Jan 22) that no decision had been taken on plans to give everyone who tested positive for Covid-19 a payment after newspapers reported people could be given £500 (S$905) to incentivise them to take tests.

Newspapers said the government was considering the plan in England because surveys suggested that some people with symptoms were not taking tests because lower-paid workers did not want to self-isolate if they were positive and so be unable to work.

Currently, only some people receiving welfare benefits receive a £500 payment if they are told to self-isolate, but according to an official policy paper seen by the Guardian newspaper and others, ministers were looking at making this a universal payment to all who tested positive.

This would cost up to £453 million a week, 12 times the cost of the current system.

"I'm not going to comment on this particular paper but we've always kept it under review, said minister George Eustice.

"No decisions to be made on this, but this is a dynamic fast-moving situation with the pandemic."

Surveys have indicated that only a small proportion of people with Covid-19 symptoms were coming forward for tests while many others ignored instructions to self-isolate because of the financial impact of quarantining.

Britain saw a surge in cases at the end of last year, fuelled by a new highly transmissible strain of the virus, which has put the health service under extreme pressure. On Thursday (Jan 21), it recorded 37,892 new cases and 1,290 deaths.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.

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