Cash for COVID? UK says no decision on reported plan for positive tests

Britain's environment minister said on Friday 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 pounds ($683.75) to incentivise them to self-isolate.

Britain's environment minister said on Friday 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 pounds ($683.75) to incentivise them to self-isolate. Newspapers said the government was considering the plan because surveys suggested that some people with symptoms were not taking tests because they did not want to self-isolate if they were positive and so be unable to work.

"I'm not going to comment on this particular paper but we've always kept it under review," minister George Eustice said. "No decisions to be made on this, but this is a dynamic fast moving situation with the pandemic."