It is ‘civic duty’ to make test and trace scheme a success, proclaims Hancock

MATT Hancock has said it is the public’s “civic duty” to make the UK Government’s new test and trace scheme work as he warned the only other option for people south of the Border was to see the lockdown continue.

From today, the NHS Test and Trace system will officially launch across England with the help of 25,000 contact tracers; an accompanying app remains delayed by several weeks.

People with coronavirus will have their contacts traced under the scheme, which aims to cut off routes of transmission for the virus and control local flare-ups.

Mr Hancock, the UK Government’s Health Secretary, told the daily Downing Street press briefing: “The big question we’re all working to answer is this: until an effective treatment or vaccine comes through how can we get back to doing more of the things that make life worth living without risking safety or putting lives at risk?

“NHS Test and Trace is a big part – not the only part – but a big part of the answer to that question.”

The Secretary of State explained that by tracking infected people and isolating their contacts and by continuing social distancing, the national lockdown could be replaced with individual isolation.

“This is national effort and we all have a role”, he declared.

Under the plans, anyone with coronavirus symptoms will immediately self-isolate and book a test. Their household should start a 14-day isolation period too.

If the test proves negative, everyone comes out of isolation but if positive, NHS contact tracers will call them, email or send a text asking them to share details of the people they have been in close contact with.

The team then emails or texts those close contacts, telling them they must stay home for 14 days even if they have no symptoms, to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

A close contact is anyone who has been in close contact with an infected person in the two days before symptoms appear and up to seven days afterwards.

Mr Hancock pointed out that the Government could move to compelling people to comply with the scheme if necessary, with fines being one possibility.

“This will be voluntary at first because we trust everyone to do the right thing. But, we can quickly make it mandatory if that is what it takes. Because, if we don’t collectively make this work, then the only way forward is to keep the lockdown,” warned the minister.