GPs in the UK have backed a proposal to undergo weekly COVID-19 tests as a way of reassuring patients and reducing anxiety during the pandemic. 

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) honorary secretary Dr Jonathan Leach described an idea to expand testing to include regular checks on NHS staff as a “sensible” one.

“GPs and our teams are committed to delivering care to patients despite the challenging circumstances presented by the pandemic, but they must be well enough to do so, and testing of front-line staff makes that possible,” Dr Leach said in a statement.

“As such, weekly testing of NHS staff on a voluntary basis seems sensible — we know that testing reduces doubt and anxiety for front-line healthcare professionals, as well as reassurance for patients who may be, understandably, worried about the current situation.”