Third of Shropshire track and trace contacts not being reached

The government's track and trace system has faced criticism over not being effective enough – a claim that has been renewed since the Prime Minister announced plans for another lockdown.

Data from the Department for Health and Social care shows 968 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in Telford and Wrekin were transferred to the Test and Trace service between May 28 and October 21.

That means 336 new cases were transferred in the latest seven-day period – the largest increase since the regime began.

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Contact tracers ask these patients to give details for anyone they were in close contact with in the 48 hours before their symptoms started.

This led to 2,443 close contacts of the Telford cases being identified over the period – those not managed by local health protection teams, which are dealt with through a call centre or online.

Contact tracers reached 61.9 per cent of those – up slightly from 61.3 per cent up to October 14, and 61 per cent to October 7.

Ensure

In the Shropshire Council area 1,529 people who tested positive for Covid-19 were transferred to the Test and Trace service between May 28 and October 21.

That means 299 new cases were transferred in the latest seven-day period, and like Telford & Wrekin this was the biggest increase in numbers since the system started.

As a result tracking staff identified 3,477 close contacts over the period but just 62.7 per cent of those were reached.

It means a total of 1,297 people were not contacted or did not respond.

Speaking after the Prime Minister announced plans for a fresh lockdown, Telford & Wrekin Council leader Shaun Davies said that the four-week shutdown must be used to ensure the track and trace system is up to speed.

He said: "This should not be seen as ‘down time’ by the Government, they must use this time as a second chance to get track and trace in place, which frankly has been a disaster."

Across England, 58.1 per cent of contacts not managed by local health protection teams were reached and told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace in the latest week to October 21.

Local health protection teams deal with cases linked to settings such as hospitals, schools and prisons.

The contact tracing rate including these cases was 60.3 per cent – up slightly from the week before, when it was at a record low.

Around 120,000 new cases were transferred nationally in the week to October 21.