Two-thirds of people in Norfolk and Waveney will turn their backs on regular Covid testing once the provision is no longer free, a survey has shown.

In a survey of more than 1,600 EDP readers, when asked if they will continue to regularly test for Covid-19 once free tests end, 66pc of participants answered no.

Free Covid testing for the general public will end on April 1, as part of plans unveiled by the government last month which also saw the scrapping of self-isolation requirements.

But while the majority of participants in our survey admitted they would not continue testing when they have to pay for them, more than three-quarters claimed they would continue to self-isolate if they caught the virus.

The survey, which explored how our readers' attitude to infection control measures would change under the 'living with Covid' plan, was completed 1,622 times via our website.

It found that while people were unlikely to be prepared to pay for testing, 77pc of people said they would self-isolate if they did catch Covid-19 and 82pc said they would inform others of their illness.

But more than half of the readers surveyed - 57pc, said they would not be prepared to pay for tests after April 1.

Previously, UEA medical professor and virology expert Paul Hunter said that without the need for isolation as a consequence of testing positive, the point of taking them would diminish.

The survey also showed that many people were not yet ready to stop wearing face masks in certain settings - though 376 participants (23pc) did claim to have never worn them to begin with.

Eastern Daily Press: Will you continue to wear a face mask after the rules change?Will you continue to wear a face mask after the rules change? (Image: Archant)

Of the participants, 72pc said they would continue to wear them on public transport, 55pc would while arriving at a restaurant or indoor venue and 59pc would still wear them at a concert or similar event.

Meanwhile, the research also emphasised the success off the vaccine roll-out in the region, with 81pc of the participants having received three doses of the jab.

Of the other participants, just eight per cent had not received a single dose, while two percent preferred not to revealed their vaccine status.