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Seven days in medicine: 14-20 October 2020

BMJ 2020; 371 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4054 (Published 22 October 2020) Cite this as: BMJ 2020;371:m4054

Covid-19

Experts recommend two week “circuit break”

A short, two week lockdown throughout England could “put the epidemic back by approximately 28 days or more,” said the UK government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). Documents published last week showed that SAGE recommended a two to three week “circuit breaker” back on 21 September to reduce the reproduction number to under 1.1 But as The BMJ went to press England had not announced such a measure, although Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland had strengthened restrictions. (Full story doi:10.1136/bmj.m4038)

Shielding may return in highest risk areas

The UK government may reintroduce advice for clinically extremely vulnerable people to shield from covid-19 if they live in “exceptionally high risk areas” of England. People at the greatest risk of serious illness—including those with conditions affecting the immune system or certain cancers, as well as organ transplant recipients—will receive specific advice depending on the risk level in their local area, the government said. The new locally tailored guidance will be linked to the government’s three tier alert system introduced last week. (Full story doi:10.1136/bmj.m3969)

Test and trace system has worst weekly performance

In the week ending 7 October England’s test and trace system recorded its worst weekly performance since it launched in May, official figures showed.2 The system reached only 62.6% of close contacts of people who tested …

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