One in four women are too scared to attend a smear test amid coronavirus fears
- A study says 24 per cent of women fear they will catch COVID-19 at a smear test
- 12 per cent are less likely to attend an appointment than before the pandemic
- Cancer Research UK believes 1.2 million people have missed cancer screenings
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
One in four women say they would be worried about attending a smear test amid the coronavirus epidemic.
In a poll which raises concerns over cancer screening programmes, which the NHS plans to restart, 24 per cent said they feared they would catch the virus during an appointment.
The survey by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust found 12 per cent said they were less likely to go for a test than before the pandemic, while 8 per cent said they ‘would not attend at the moment’.
One in four women say they would be worried about going to get a smear test due to fears of contracting the coronavirus
Cancer Research UK estimates 1.2 million people have missed cancer screening appointments over the past three months
As well as fears about their own safety, some said they did not want to put extra strain on the NHS, while others were concerned about putting relatives in danger of infection.
Most parts of the UK have suspended all cancer screening programmes, and Cancer Research UK estimates 1.2 million have missed appointments over the past three months.
Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and primary care medical director for NHS England, said: ‘Plans are in place to start offering appointments as soon as possible and services will have measures in place to protect people from coronavirus.’