Contact Tracing: Will You Self Isolate? (and related discussion)

[Callie]

My workplace have had to raise the issue that if someone at work tests positive our whole department will have to close for 14 days.....

meaning no COVID screens for our hospital could be processed

which is something of a conundrum !

I would imagine a lot of workplaces (freshly reopened) will be the same. Social distancing has never been a thing here.

 

[Mogden]

I've not even seen, never mind met anyone in my contacts list for weeks now. I'd be bloody amazed if I was called and if I was I'd want to know why! This still doesn't defend against shopping morons and, especially true in these parts as there's a high rate of homelessness with the local council having shut lots of places, the intoxicated people wandering the street without access to suitable hygiene facilities. That sort of thing can't be traced.

 

[Spymaster]

From Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested


Three day window for expanded staff coronavirus tests

So test within 3 days of symtoms.

What if you've had no symptoms at all, as is likely to be the case in most circumstances? Why can't they contact people, make the assessment and get them tested rather than telling them to isolate for 2 weeks?

 

[Roadkill]

I don’t think they can tell you. Best to take that up centrally than direct it at the person calling you.

I know that, and I would do it. But I would still tell the operator that I did not believe them to be genuine and that I would not be taking any notice. Presumably they've some way of recording non-compliance on the system.

Then I'd self-isolate as a precaution.

 

[Teaboy]

So test within 3 days of symtoms.

What if you've had no symptoms at all, as is likely to be the case in most circumstances? Why can't they contact people, make the assessment and get them tested rather than telling them to isolate for 2 weeks?

Because you can have no symptoms and test negative yet still have the virus and infect others. That's the beauty of this virus.

 

[LDC]

I know that, and I would do it. But I would still tell the operator that I did not believe them to be genuine and that I would not be taking any notice. Presumably they've some way of recording non-compliance on the system.

Then I'd self-isolate as a precaution.

Enlighten me as to the point of that?

 

[Roadkill]

Enlighten me as to the point of that?

To make as sure as I can that I'm added to whatever stats are produced of those refusing to cooperate - thus underlining the bigger point being made in the media about lack of trust in HMG impairing the effetciveness of track and trace - whilst still doing what's socially responsible.

 

[MickiQ]

In principle I would yes but it isn't that difficult either practically or financially for me to do, lots of caveats though.
I need to be convinced that the person ringing me up is on the level and a official contact tracer and if they don't tell me who I might have got it off then they are going to have a hard time convincing me straight off the bat.
This is bound to offer opportunities for scammers/hoaxers/people with personal scores to settle; even assuming that the real tracers are properly trained not someone who's watched an hour video.
This is going to have to go on until we get a vaccines so no matter how it starts off, its going to end up being run by shysters who will probably ship it to India, I don't know about the rest of you but if I get an unsolicited phone call and it's someone with a thick Indian accent (none of them seem able to pronounce my name) I just hang up as soon as they speak.
I doubt I'm the only one that does that.
There''s also the issue of money and job security, not a biggie for me but it will be for a lot of people in time, Things may be OK in June/July when it starts but what about 6 months from now and the currrent splashing of cash has long gone. WIll people be willing to give up fortnight's pay for £95pw on the say-so of some random dude who rings up out of the blue?
Maybe risk their jobs because their employer isn't willing to be understanding or their home because the landlord isn't.

 

[gentlegreen]

Since I live alone and only get physically close to people in the shops, it would be vanishingly unlikely.
When I'm around others I do so on the basis that I might be infectious - so I hold my breath when passing people in the street and wear a mask in shops.
Not being able to buy fresh veggies and treats might just be the last straw.

 

[Spymaster]

Because you can have no symptoms and test negative yet still have the virus and infect others. That's the beauty of this virus.

Again, is this for certain?

People could potentially lose their livelihoods over this so they need to be fucking sure of what they're doing.

 

[neonwilderness]

I'm probably going to be furloughed or working from home for the foreseeable, so I'm unlikely to be meeting loads of people anytime soon. I reckon the few people I'm in contact with at the moment would tell me if they were infected before I found out from the tracing team. So I'd probably make a judgement based on who it was and how much I'd been in contact with them.

I think the main risk for me is going to shops where lots of people are touching everything (do they really need to pick up every item on the shelf before picking one? ) and aren't really distancing as much as the should/could.

 

[Mogden]

Again, is this for certain?

People could potentially lose their livelihoods over this so they need to be fucking sure of what they're doing.

I've not researched it thoroughly but The Guardian seems to suggest so.

Doctors condemn secrecy over false negative Covid-19 tests

Research has found as many as 29% of swab tests on infected people come back negative

www.theguardian.com

 

[Aladdin]

If I am contacted as someone who may have been exposed to c19 then yes I will self isolate for 14 days.

 

[Aladdin]

Not sure.

Also, is it not possible just to get tested if you've been exposed? If you're not positive, carry on as usual rather than isolating for 2 weeks for no reason?

The test isn't so accurate.
Lots of false negatives. It's why patients get tested repeatedly.
My aunt, for example was tested 5 times. 4 negatives. But she had symptoms so was tested a few times

 

[bimble]

You don’t need to have the app to be contacted by the T&T team.

Can anyone post a link to the basics of how this will work? If you don't have the app i mean, how would they trace and contact you?

 

[weltweit]

Can anyone post a link to the basics of how this will work? If you don't have the app i mean, how would they trace and contact you?

Someone gets a positive test. They are asked who their contacts are? You are listed as a contact, the tracing team contact you.

 

[Thora]

Can anyone post a link to the basics of how this will work? If you don't have the app i mean, how would they trace and contact you?

The infected person gives your details.

 

[bimble]

Ok so the tracing is only of friends or people who you have spent time with or who have you in their phone contacts? Its' not going to be possible to contact me if the the woman who was coughing behind me in the queue tests positive.

Anyway yes i would, quite enjoy this isolating business tbh, would just be annoying to ask my neighbours to get all my food.

 

[LDC]

Can anyone post a link to the basics of how this will work? If you don't have the app i mean, how would they trace and contact you?

Was posted earlier, an outline is here Coronavirus: How will contact tracing work in England?

 

[sim667]

I work in a healthcare setting where I’m in contact with covid + patients regularly. I guess they won’t be expecting me to self isolate every time I meet one?

 

[LDC]

So if you test positive you can fill a form online or call someone. If you don't do it online then that initial call is to a non-clinician and they effectively just fill the form in for you while you tell them over the phone. Then I think the clinician's job is calling those contacts and making decisions as to whether they need to self isolate or not.

 

[bimble]

Was posted earlier, an outline is here Coronavirus: How will contact tracing work in England?

Close contact less than 2m for at least 15 mins? They won’t be calling me.

 

[LDC]

I work in a healthcare setting where I’m in contact with covid + patients regularly. I guess they won’t be expecting me to self isolate every time I meet one?

But assuming you're wearing PPE at work? It's not about just 'meeting one' this is for people that have had close contact with people that have tested positive in the community.

 

[LDC]

Close contact less than 2m for at least 15 mins? They won’t be calling me.

So I think it's a mix of the reporting by the initial infected patient and then a conversation with individuals they report contact with to ascertain whether that person needs to self isolate or not.

 

[bimble]

I imaged something way more high tech, gps related, that would be able to attempt tracing on public transport etc.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Can everyone who tests positive please include in their list of people they’ve had close contact with the name Dominic Cummings ?

 

[LDC]

I imaged something way more high tech, gps related, that would be able to attempt tracing on public transport etc.

You live in the UK right?! Lucky if we get typewriters and carrier pigeons.

I think the idea is the app supplements the human T&T stuff.

 

[8115]

I don't think there is an app at present. It's a complete red herring.

 

[Chilli.s]

I'd have an app, if given a free phone with free contract. I'd isolate, but I'm doing that already. If a cold caller rings up and knows me by the alias i give the app, then I may listen to their instruction, but I'll want detail. If I caught the virus I'd want to drive 250 miles to a holiday home to isolate properly.

 

[LDC]

It's all very well people saying they're already isolating. But will they be for the rest of this year? And then next year? That's what this T&T is for, not just the next few weeks, it's a long term way of dealing with the virus.