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Coronavirus: How does contact tracing work? Coronavirus: How does contact tracing work?
(7 days later)
People who have been in close contact with someone found to have Covid-19 are now being traced. People who have been in close contact with someone found to have Covid-19 are now being traced and asked to self-isolate for a fortnight.
NHS contact tracers will ask people they get in touch with to self-isolate for a fortnight. But plans for a tracing app have been delayed until winter at the earliest. But what happens when someone who went to the same pub or restaurant as you tests positive?
How does contact tracing work in England?How does contact tracing work in England?
If you develop coronavirus symptoms and test positive for the disease, you'll be contacted by text, email or phone and asked to log on to the NHS Test and Trace website. If you develop coronavirus symptoms and test positive, you'll be contacted by text, email or phone and asked to log on to the NHS Test and Trace website.
There you will be asked for personal information including: There you must give personal information, including:
Close contacts are:Close contacts are:
Contact must have taken place within a nine-day period, starting 48 hours before symptoms appeared.Contact must have taken place within a nine-day period, starting 48 hours before symptoms appeared.
No-one contacted as a result of you testing positive for coronavirus will be told your identity. No-one contacted will be told your identity.
A parent or guardian will need to give permission for a call with under-18s to continue. A parent or guardian must give permission for a call with under-18s to continue.
Must I provide contact details if eating out?
Organisations in certain sectors - like pubs and restaurants - must collect and keep customer details for 21 days.
It's because there's a higher risk of transmitting Covid-19 in public places - both inside and outdoors - where people are near others they don't live with.
Giving personal information is voluntary and it's not the venue's responsibility to ensure it's correct.
If a customer tests positive, will the pub or restaurant have to close?
Possibly, but not necessarily.
Official government advice says an NHS Test and Trace call does not always mean a pub or restaurant must close.
It depends on the circumstances and when the infected person visited.
NHS Test and Trace could ask staff to:
Local health protection officials have the power to close establishments.
A few pubs in England, which reopened on 4 July, have closed after customers tested positive.
What if I am contacted?
Anyone deemed at risk of infection must stay home for 14 days from their point of contact with the infected person.
You must self-isolate, even if you don't have symptoms, to prevent the virus spreading.
You should order food or medicine online or by phone, or ask friends and family to leave it on your doorstep.
Other people you live with won't have to self-isolate, unless they also develop symptoms, but they must take extra care around you regarding social distancing and hand washing.
Do I have to self-isolate?
It's currently voluntary. But the Department for Health says it may check up on people and could impose fines.
How is the tracing scheme going?How is the tracing scheme going?
The scheme - which the prime minister claimed would be "world-beating" - was launched on 28 May. Between 28 May and 24 June: The scheme - which the prime minister claimed would be "world-beating" - was launched on 28 May. From then until 1 July:
When will there be a coronavirus app? Plans for an app were abandoned in mid-June, with ministers now working towards a model based on Apple and Google technology.
The government also planned to launch a tracing app, which would automatically alert users if they had been in contact with another user with coronavirus.
Are other countries using apps?
Several other countries have introduced contact-tracing apps:
What about other parts of the UK?What about other parts of the UK?
Northern Ireland was the first of the four UK administrations to bring in contact tracing, which is being carried out exclusively by telephone at the moment. Northern Ireland's contact tracing operates exclusively by phone.
Scotland's system is called NHS Test and Protect, and has recruited 2,000 contact tracers. It was launched as the easing of lockdown restrictions began. Scotland's system is called NHS Test and Protect, while Wales's ''test, trace, protect'' system launched on 1 June.
In Wales, the ''test, trace, protect'' system launched on 1 June.
What if I am contacted by the tracers?
Anyone deemed at risk of infection will be told to stay at home for 14 days from the point where they had contact with the person who tested positive.
You will be asked to self-isolate, even if you do not have symptoms, to stop the danger of the virus spreading.
You should not leave your home for any reason. If you need food or medicine and live alone, you should order it online or by phone, or ask friends and family to drop it off on your doorstep.
If you live with other people they won't have to self-isolate, unless they also develop symptoms, but they must take extra care around you regarding social distancing and hand washing.
How do I avoid scammers?How do I avoid scammers?
In England, the NHS Test and Trace service will only be calling from 0300 0135 000. They will not ask you: England's NHS Test and Trace service will only call from 0300 0135 000. It will not ask you:
Do I have to follow the instruction to self-isolate?
It's currently voluntary. But the Department for Health has said that if people don't comply, "we will not hesitate to introduce tougher measures - for example making visits to check they're home, or issuing fines if they are found outside the house".
What about sick pay?What about sick pay?
If people can't work from home, the government says employers must ensure any self-isolating employee is receiving sick pay and give them the option to use their paid leave days if they prefer. If people can't work from home, the government says employers must ensure any self-isolating employee receives sick pay and let them use paid leave days if they prefer.
Self-employed people who are self-isolating but can't work from home can apply for a grant through the income support scheme, the government says, although this is designed to cover three months' worth of profits. Self-employed people who are self-isolating but can't work from home can apply for an income support scheme grant, the government says, although this is designed to cover three months' worth of profits.