AUTOMATIC self-isolation payments of £400 a week to all Covid-19 infected adults earning below the average wage would help suppress the virus and free Northern Ireland from another year of rolling lockdowns, experts have claimed.
The recommendation comes from the north's Independent Scientific Advocacy Group, backed by two major trade unions, 21 academics - including leading virologists - and 17 community groups and signatories
An open letter, signed by among other QUB virologists Professor Ultan Power, Dr Lindsay Broadbent and Dr Connor Bamford, warns the north is "at a critical point in the battle against Covid 19".
"Current restrictions are helping to bring down infection rates but not as quickly as needed, particularly now that we are dealing with several more transmissible variants.
"We need to swiftly get cases of Covid-19 down, keep them down and keep the virus out to avoid another 10-plus months of rolling lockdowns."
They said the success of the vaccination strategy depends on the Find, Test, Trace, Isolate, Support (FFTIS) system, but while it "reaches a high proportion of contacts", the next "crucial" link - isolation - is a major public health concern.
Data suggests low isolation rates are being driven by "lack of appropriate financial and social support".
"Many people simply cannot afford to isolate (sometimes multiple times) for the recommended length of time."
They said many essential workers "can't afford not to go into work, so may avoid testing or revealing close contacts".
The group said with data showing just two per cent of applicants to the Discretionary Support Self-Isolation scheme received a payment of £500 or more.
"(The) £2 million of underspend from the... scheme was recently returned to the Department of Finance, which suggests that the scheme is not as accessible as it should be.
"We need effective financial and social support for isolation of cases and close contacts... More generous financial compensation for lost income, which is readily accessible without delay, is needed, particularly for the low paid and self-employed.
"Current discretionary payments are too difficult to access and are costly to administer and often only cover short term expenses."
They propose an automatic £400 a week payment to any Northern Ireland resident over 18 (or over 16 where there is no parental support) who earn no more than £28,000 (median annual income for full-time workers) who have evidence they or someone in their family they care for are required to self-isolate and are unable to work from home and so will lose income.
The ISAG said the Executive must "take urgent action and implement these measures without delay", using "a significant proportion of the current £300m underspend", insisting it will result in "a much swifter and more stable journey towards social and economic recovery".
A Department for Communities spokeswoman said it "acknowledges the recommendations of the Independent Scientific Advocacy Group and continues to assess the effectiveness of all emergency Covid support measures."
