New 'NHS Test and Trace service' launching across England tomorrow

From tomorrow (May 28), anyone who tests positive for coronavirus will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and will required to share information about their recent interactions.

This could include household members, people they have been in direct contact with, or within two metres of for more than 15 minutes.

People identified as having been in close contact with someone who has tested positive must stay at home for 14 days, even if they do not have symptoms, to stop unknowingly spreading the virus.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: "As we move to the next stage of our fight against coronavirus, we will be able to replace national lockdowns with individual isolation and, if necessary, local action where there are outbreaks.

"NHS Test and Trace will be vital to stopping the spread of the virus. It is how we will be able to protect our friends and family from infection, and protect our NHS.

"This new system will help us keep this virus under control while carefully and safely lifting the lockdown nationally."

If those in isolation develop symptoms, they can book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

If they test positive, they must continue to stay at home for seven days or until their symptoms have passed. If they test negative, they must complete the 14-day isolation period.

Members of their household will not have to stay at home unless the person identified becomes symptomatic, at which point they must also self-isolate for 14 days.

People who are contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service will be given clear information explaining what they must do and how they can access local support if needed.

Dido Harding, Executive Chair of NHS Test and Trace, said: "This is a brand new service which has been launched at incredible speed and scale. NHS Test and Trace already employs over 40,000 people, both directly and through trusted partners, who are working hard to deliver both testing and contact tracing at scale. This is no small achievement and I am hugely grateful to everyone involved.

"NHS Test and Trace will not succeed on its own – we all need to play our part. This is why we are working hand-in-hand with communities and local authorities across the country to tailor support at a local level, and respond quickly to local needs. And we will be constantly developing and improving as we go. Together we can help contain the virus, stop it spreading further and ultimately save lives."

Work is still continuing on the new NHS Covid-19 app before it can be launched across the rest of the UK.

Following its roll-out on the Isle of Wight, more than 52,000 people on the island downloaded the app in the first week.

A spokesperson for the Department for Health said: "It will significantly extend the speed and reach of contact tracing, by helping to identify those who you may not know, such as someone sitting next to you on public transport.

"The app will also give powerful insights into the spread of the virus and how to contain it.

"The new service applies to England only, but we continue to work with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to make sure we have systems that are coordinated across the UK."