Keep rapid Covid tests free in Wales, firms urge ministers

Free lateral flow tests for all should continue in Wales before being phased out "throughout the year", according to a leading business group.

CBI Wales said free testing "cannot continue forever" but should for now as firms believe the "economic and social benefits far outweigh the costs".

Free mass testing will stop in England from 1 April.

Welsh ministers are expected to announce their latest review of Covid rules later.

The British Medical Association also warned that ending free testing would make it much harder to monitor the spread of the virus and identify new variants.

Scotland aims to continue with some level of free testing.

The Welsh government has already indicated Wales' remaining Covid laws could be scrapped by the end of March.

At the last Covid review, on 11 February, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething indicated the remaining rules around wearing masks could be dropped and self-isolation rules could change from being law to guidance.

On Monday, rules on wearing face coverings were eased, meaning they are no longer required in classrooms and venues such as museums and cinemas.

It follows the dropping of the mandatory Covid pass system to gain entry into large events, cinemas and nightclubs in Wales.

In Scotland, all legal Covid-19 restrictions will end on 21 March.

All of England's Covid laws have already been scrapped, whilst free lateral flow tests (LFTs) won't be available after 1 April, except for the over-75s and over-12 with weakened immune systems.

Free PCR tests will not be available to people with Covid symptoms from April either, except for a small number of at-risk groups, and free testing will remain for NHS and social care workers in England.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan has previously said the decision to end mass free testing in England will have an impact on Wales.

She added: "The fact is if the infrastructure is not there, particularly for PCR testing, it would be difficult for us to maintain that."

UK government Welsh Secretary Simon Hart has previously said with mass testing costing £2bn a month, funding is better used "with a more targeted approach".

He added: "If Welsh government want to continue funding blanket testing going forward then that is a decision for them, they already have the adequate resource and funding to do so".

Speaking ahead of the Welsh government's latest Covid review, the CBI in Wales has called for the continuation of universally free LFTs.

Ian Price, CBI Wales Director, said: "The removal of remaining restrictions will give businesses across Wales the certainty they need to grow and invest.

"Yet firms also know that the virus hasn't disappeared. Businesses will continue to use measures to keep their staff and customers safe, as they have from the outset of the pandemic.

"While free testing cannot continue forever, mass lateral flow testing has helped keep large parts or our economy open, and firms continue to believe that the economic and social benefits far outweigh the costs."

"We recommend that the Welsh government seek to retain free, universal LFTs, with a phased withdrawal throughout the year, to support hybrid working and maintain business and consumer confidence," Mr Price added.

The British Medical Association (BMA) also issued a stark warning about the risks of ditching mass free testing.

Dr David Bailey, chair of the BMA in Wales, said: "While all governments are now working towards living with Covid-19, this task will be much more difficult if access to free testing is removed, as our ability to monitor the spread of the virus and to identify new variants will be reduced.

"Throughout the pandemic we have asked people to act responsibly, but scrapping access to free testing would create a two-tier system with some people being able to afford to pay for testing while others will be forced to gamble on the health of themselves and others."

He also stressed that continued testing of healthcare staff and patients was "critical if we are to ensure the Welsh NHS remains as fully staffed as possible so that we can reduce the backlog for patients".

Plaid Cymru said Wales, as a "free prescription nation", should not be charging for tests where they were still needed.

Party health spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth said: "There are people for whom testing and support to isolate will remain an important safety net - such as the clinically vulnerable, their visitors and carers.

"Welsh government must look to reassure these groups that they have considered their needs, including ensuring that for them at the very least, tests will remain available, free, and their use encouraged."

Commenting on the review of Covid regulations in general, Welsh Conservative health spokesman Russell George said: "England and Northern Ireland have already dropped all restrictions while Scotland has given a roadmap out of them, making Labour-run Wales the outlier, holding our freedoms back without good reason.

"As [Welsh] ministers have failed to explain when our full freedoms will be restored - nor why they have not yet been - we are calling for all restrictions, including mandatory isolation, to be scrapped by the end of the month, emphasising the role of self-responsibility in keeping our society healthy."