UK unrolls test and trace system in next stage of COVID-19 fight

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that from Thursday the UK would be moving to a new test and trace system operated by the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) to try and keep control over the coronavirus pandemic as the country’s lockdown is gradually eased.

The aim of the system, being launched across England on a large scale, is to move from lockdown for all towards more targeted measures with trained NHS contact tracers track each infected person going forward as well as their close contacts.

“From tomorrow there is a new test and trace operation which will change people’s lives,” Johnson told MPs during a hearing of the House of Commons Liaison Committee on Wednesday.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock later gave further details of the brand new system at the daily Downing Street briefing.

“Everyone must follow the NHS test and trace rules to protect the NHS and save lives. It is being introduced now because at first we had to flatten the curve. The number of infections grew so large the only way to get it under control was to lock the country down,” the minister said.

“Now the number of new infections each day are right down and small enough that we can be in touch with everyone we need to,” he said.

Under the new system, if someone has coronavirus symptoms, they must isolate immediately and get a test. Then through contact tracing, an NHS clinician and the patient will work together to identify the possible movements of the virus. All close contacts of that patient will then be isolated as well to break the “chain of transmission".

“It will be voluntary at first but we can quickly make it mandatory if that is what it takes. Do it for the people you love, your community and the NHS,” Hancock said, adding that the move offered a way out of the country's blanket lockdown.

The UK's coronavirus death toll has hit 37,460, a rise of 412 over Tuesday, but the rate of hospitalisations has continued to fall over the last few days indicating that the rate of infection is being brought under some control.

(Image credit: AP)