The “trace” bit of test and trace...help me understand

[Chestergirl39]

So I get that the whole testing system is woefully inadequate, and that they failed to predict the rise in demand when schools returned, which even someone with half a brain would realise....

But, how does the trace system work? Is that done in a timely manner? Do you have to provide names and contact details of everyone you’ve come into contact with? Who corroborates this? What if you don’t know their address or phone number? If you’ve been to a restaurant, do they contact everyone’s home has been that day?

So many ways that this could fail, or be open to abuse, especially due to confidentiality, and the obvious need to be done in a timely manner to prevent further spread.

The 'trace' part of the system effectively doesn't exist.

Tracing works when there are a very small number of infections of a disease with distinctive symptoms contained within a relatively small area. The aim is to track the progress of the illness and to cut it off before it can spread. When a virus has very indistinct symptoms, like covid, meaning that people can be infectious for days before realising they're even ill, and is spread across the entire country, 'tracing' is just a complete waste of time. It's impossible to say for sure where a person was infected, how long they were potentially spreading it and where. You might, possibly, identify one solitary person who then has to isolate, probably pointlessly.

The only situation in which it makes sense to have an idea of how the spread is occurring is in a controlled environment with lots of people coming in and out and high potential harm to vulnerable people, like a hospital or a care home. Other places like factories also need to identify infections and inform staff who've been in contact, but that's not 'tracing' as such, given that everyone is right there and can easily be told. 'Tracing' in the community is just a pointless game.

I’ve been in close contact with a person who tested positive- not been contacted by test and trace so just self isolated as it’s the moral thing to do.

I had a positive test last month. Was contacted and asked where I had been and who I had met with. I listed the places I had visited and gave the names and phone nos of those I had seen. My DH was one. He was rung next day and told to isolate and offered advice if he needed help or access to sick pay. He was also rung again after ten days and they checked he had been isolating etc. I wasn't contacted again since I had my test until I had a call asking me to donate plasma. Track and trace were very persistent with my husband.