Test and trace system begins in England and Scotland

Thousands of contact tracers were making their first phone calls to track down people who will be told to self-isolate under new test

London: Thousands of contact tracers were making their first phone calls to track down people who will be told to self-isolate under new test and trace schemes which began in England and Scotland on Thursday. Tracers will text, email or call people who test positive with coronavirus and ask who they have had contact with, reports the BBC.

Any of those contacts deemed at risk of infection will be told to isolate for 14 days, even if they are not sick. Those who have already had the virus will also be asked to self-isolate.

The aim of the system is to lift blanket lockdown restrictions and move towards more localised, targeted measures. The 25,000 tracers working for England's NHS Test and Trace team will start by contacting the 2,013 people who tested positive for the virus. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was confident that the "vast majority of people" would participate in the voluntary system. (IANS)

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