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NHS ‘Test And Trace’ System To Go Live From Thursday, Boris Johnson Announces

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Boris Johnson has warned that the some of public may have to endure the “captivity” of a 14-day self-isolation under a new test-and-trace system for Covid-19.

The prime minister revealed to MPs that NHS England’s long-awaited new programme will go live from Thursday at 9am, declaring that it would be an essential condition ending the national lockdown.

Johnson also signalled what appeared to be the main defence he will use in any public inquiry into UK coronavirus deaths, effectively blaming previous Labour and Tory governments for not getting a proper test-and-trace capacity in place for a pandemic.

Under the new NHS Test And Trace system, individuals will be one phone call away from being told to self-isolate for up to a fortnight if a new army of 25,000 tracers identify them as having had “close contact” with others who have tested positive for the virus.

“Close contact” is defined as being within two metres of someone for more than 15 minutes without any protection such as a plastic screen or protective equipment.

NHS contact tracers or local public health teams will ask anyone who tests postiive for Covid-19 to share details of the people they have been in close contact with and places they have visited.

The “detective” 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.

From Thursday, those who believe they have symptoms can book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling a new national helpline number, 119.

The scheme will be voluntary at first, but Health Secretary Matt Hancock is holding in reserve powers to force the public to comply if there is a danger of fresh outbreaks of the pandemic.

Hancock confirmed for the first time that the new system would allow England to “move away from a national lockdown”...

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