Iran Press/ Europe: A majority of people in Britain were also unable to identify the symptoms of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.
The research, led by King’s College London, found that only 18.2% of people who reported having symptoms of COVID-19 in the last seven days had not left home since the symptoms developed, and only 11.9% requested a COVID-19 test.
The research raises major questions about the effectiveness of England’s Test and Trace program as Prime Minister Boris Johnson seeks to keep a lid on rising infection numbers with new restrictions, Reuters reported.
It also found that only 10.9% of people told by the NHS Test and Trace scheme to self-isolate after close contact with a COVID-19 case had done so for 14 days as required.
The British government last week introduced fines of up to 10,000 pounds ($12,780.00) for breaking self-isolation rules, and are offering a 500-pound support payment to low-paid workers who lose income from quarantining.
The researchers said that financial support for self-isolating could encourage adherence.
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