Test and trace

‘Test and trace’ schemes are now live across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a similar scheme planned to go live in Wales today.

The NHS test and trace service forms a central part of the Government’s covid-19 recovery strategy and is expected to play a vital role in providing an early warning if covid-19 activity is increasing locally, regionally or nationally.

Currently, the NHS test and trace service will notify you by text message, email or phone. The new NHS covid-19 app is still being trialled in the Isle of Wight prior to roll-out. We will provide more details as they become available.

Alongside existing self-isolation guidance, colleagues who have been in close recent contact with someone who has tested positive may receive a notification to self-isolate for 14 days from NHS test and trace because they are at risk of developing symptoms themselves and could spread the virus to others before the symptoms begin.

Those who are contacted may feel well, as the virus could still be incubating when they are asked to isolate. Some people who are asked to isolate may not become unwell, but they must stay at home and self-isolate for the full 14 days.

Colleagues who need to self-isolate will be expected to provide evidence to their manager they have been contacted and told to self-isolate. This absence should be recorded on PSP using the absence type, ‘Sick Coronavirus’ then selecting ‘SCU070 - Coronavirus Self Isolation’.

If colleagues can work from home while self-isolating, then you do not need to record the case as a sickness absence.

The NHS test and trace service will:

• contact anyone who has had a positive test result to help them share information about any close recent contacts they have had.
• alerts those contacts, where necessary, and notify them they need to self-isolate to help stop the spread of the virus.
• provide a notification that can be used as evidence that someone has been told to self-isolate.

If you have been informed that you are a contact of a person who has had a positive test result for coronavirus, the medical advice is clear:

• you must immediately self-isolate at home for 14 days from the date of your last contact with them and follow the Stay at Home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19). Do not go to work, school, or public areas, and do not use public transport or taxis.
• You are at risk of contracting covid-19 for the next 14 days. Since we now know that people can become infectious up to two days before symptoms begin, you could spread the disease to others if you do not go into isolation. Even if you never get symptoms, you can still be infected and pass the virus on without knowing it.

You should not arrange for testing unless you develop symptoms of covid-19. The most important symptoms include: a new continuous cough, a high temperature, and a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia).

Further guidance is available at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.