I'm a contact tracer, AMA

[ContactTracer]

I've name changed for obvious reasons

I've been working as a contact tracer since May of this year, I was furloughed from my last position in March and then made redundant as of June so have been doing this full time.

I'm well aware some people have absolutely no interest in what we do but Ask Me Anything if you are interested

@AcornAutumn Whilst a follow up is checking the person is at home the main aim is to make a welfare check. Contacts are called 4 times on their day, messages are left if needed and if someone answers but is busy doing something such as working from home, cooking etc they can request to reschedule at a time that suits them. Isolation follow up calls usually take no longer than 5 mins.
Not every one is contacted, I blame Matt Hancock for putting that out there as that was never to be the case.
Positive cases are sent an email/text with a link to fill in their own contacts. Identified contacts are also sent a link to fill in their own details, symptoms etc. If the surveys are not completed by the person only then it comes to us to call.

@borageforager Although the app has the same name we have no involvement with it at all.

@Smelliethenelephant That is probably my most common complaint and I absolutely agree the system should be able to identify households but for some reason it was never set up this way. We are also unable to search by name or address etc so it's really tough having to tell an already stressed out parent we can't do all 6 of their DC at once but believe me we wish we could.
There's an update due to the system this week which will apparently make this possible but I'll wait and see.

I appreciated the isolation calls when I had Covid. It was someone to talk too! Especially when they told me I o my had 3 more days not 7 to isolate!
But I was surprised that I had to manually enter everywhere I'd been, despite scanning QR codes.

OP "We are also unable to search by name or address etc so it's really tough having to tell an already stressed out parent we can't do all 6 of their DC at once but believe me we wish we could."

so how do you search on the system, if you're allowed to say?

or do you just get a list of people to contact?

I've lost the plot what life was like before second lockdown but I didn't go to any pubs or restaurants anyway because of the risk of being near someone who tested positive. I know it's not how it's meant to work but I figured pubs would just pass on all the info of customers there at the time, especially if a member of staff was ill.

If we have a negative test can we stop isolating?

Dd was sent home today as she told someone she was coughing all night (she wasn't 🤦‍♀️)

School also sent ds home

I've got them tested but my app now says I have to isolate for 10 days 🤦‍♀️

Do you work with a standardised contagion period prior to people developing symptoms?

So if someone develops symptoms on Monday and gets a positive test on Tuesday how far back to you have to go with identifying those who have to isolate? Is it 48 hours prior to symptoms starting or does it vary case by case?

And what happens if someone is advised to test is asymptomatic but tests positive.

OP that's good news and will hopefully make your jobs a lot easier

Thanks for doing this important work.

Do you think the system is fit for purpose?

My main concern about being contacted by you guys (not yet touch wood) is that if I am positive I will contact everyone that needs to know. Other than work and school that is not likely to be many people at all right now. Not really a question but it would be a complete waste of time asking me about my contacts IMO. And I would feel really bad about giving numbers so that my contacts can be 'hassled' by you guys. Guess that must be an objection that comes up.

One more q -I have heard of people getting lots of calls to inform them that their own husband/wife has tested positive and reminding them to self-isolate. And then that person getting separate calls to the original positive case. Is this really happening? Surely there should be a way of consolidating calls to a single household.

You mentioned above about dog owners who tested positive having to be told that they can't walk their dogs out and about, which is common sense. What do you do if someone lives alone in a flat with a dog, so the dog HAS to go outside to do its business? Are there systems in place for volunteer walkers or temporary foster homes?
No idea why I'm interested in this - we don't live in the UK and don't have a dog.

One of us has been in contact with someone who tested positive but they told us personally, not via Test & Trace. The contact took place outdoors on a 'permitted' walk. Does the fact that it happened outdoors have any influence over instruction to isolate?

A friend was called after she came back from holiday. She asked about food shopping and was told 'we would rather you didnt' but if you cannot get a delivery or get anyone to do it you can go to the supermarket. She is one of 5 so doing 5 people's shopping is not really feasible for the NHS volunteers.

Is this really true??

Do you also do calls to people isolating after flying back into the UK from overseas?

@Toddlerteaplease I really enjoy doing the follow up calls, the best part is our calls are not timed so we can spend a bit of time having a chat with someone if they are lonely.

@AcornAutumn We don't search the system as such, cases cycle through and land on free agents. We are able to search by account ID in cases of duplicates. For positive cases we will try and track their movements to identify contacts, if a place where contacts are recorded are identified we would contact the place and request a list for those date.

@superstar84 I'd contact 119 in your case, just to clarify with a clinical team member, a negative test doesn't normally end isolation so you may want to let them know your DD doesn't have symptoms and see what they say.

I'm just about to log on and do some overtime as I have the house to myself and you know, temp contract, need to do try and make a little more for savings where I can. Will pop back in later, it's been great finding out what the public perception of what we do is

When you ask a place for list of people who signed into at the same time as a positive case, do you automatically contact everyone on the list? What happens if people were at the same place but more than 2 metres away?

What would you recommend on Netflix?

Are you a clinical health care worker?

Good morning,

@IwishIwasyoda We ask for contacts within the 48 hour period of symptoms starting. For asymptomatic people we would look at contacts within 48 hours of the test being taken.

@Frazzled2207 I think with public compliance and clearer communications the system could be fit for purpose but in it's current state? No. I would ditch the app completely also.
We obviously don't wish to hassle people but with the current set up this is happening. I have had some cases where contacts do wish to be sign posted to certain support avenues, particularly when it comes to mental health or finances that they may be too embarrassed to speak to their family and friends about so I do think speaking to the contacts directly is still a good thing to do instead of relying on family and friends.
We are awaiting an update to consolidate households, this would be a huge step forward for the system as a whole.

@RuleOfCat This is why cats are better We would direct to the fabulous NHS Volunteer Responders who can co-ordinate locally and do walk dogs if needed.

@sergeantmajor We wouldn't usually take outdoor activities into account unless it was the case of a close contact sport for example.

@Bathroom12345 There are a few exceptions to self-isolation and essential food shopping is one of them. I'm unclear if we told your friend that using the NHS Volunteers wasn't feasible for 5 people as this isn't the case.

@Joswis We do both tracing based on a flight number if someone returns a positive test and also random follow ups to check.

@thisisnotwhatisignedupfor I probably say your username at least once a week when someone is screaming at me that they haven't been in contact with anyone and then remembers they did in fact go to the pub and did in fact give their contact details on entry.
Places would be contacted to confirm set up and provide required contact details. Most pubs and restaurants do not mark table numbers with contacts so in these cases everyone is contacted as we can't be sure who was and wasn't 2 metres apart.

@RaspberryCoulis I sit with BBC News on mute most days

@Mumisnotmyonlyname I'm not and I don't handle cases that require a clinical input, if I need during a call I can escalate to clinical health care workers.

@ContactTracer ... hang on, does that mean that because the contact took place outdoors, we may not have to isolate?? It was an hour long walk outside.

What percentage of people told to isolate are actually doing so , is it known ?
What happens if someone you calls tells you not to call /message them again ?

Why, once you've contacted someone do you then call them relentlessly?

OP “ There are a few exceptions to self-isolation and essential food shopping is one of them.”

Oh, so if self isolating you can still go to get food shopping? Surely the same would apply to dog walking then?

@sergeantmajor Not usually however isolation advice is determined based on what's been told to T&T by the positive case.

@tsmainsqueeze AFAIK this data isn't published, majority of my personal follow-ups are isolating, if it appears they're not it's passed on to Local Authorities who investigate.
Non-compliance is also passed to LA.

@NorbertMeubles Are we? Depending on the situation it may be needed or a system failure.

@AcornAutumn Not according to the relevant legislation where we take our advice from.

[quote ContactTracer]@AcornAutumn Not according to the relevant legislation where we take our advice from.[/quote]
I can’t face reading that

But you seem to be saying essential shopping is legally permitted if you’re SI? I thought it wasn’t?

@AcornAutumn Correct. Of course we always recommend online, family/friends or NHS Volunteer Responders but the exceptions are there. Will copy and paste the list of exceptions.

P may not leave the place specified in sub-paragraph (a) except where necessary—
(i)to seek medical assistance, where this is required urgently or on the advice of a registered medical practitioner, including to access—
(aa)services from dentists, opticians, audiologists, chiropodists, chiropractors, osteopaths and other medical or health practitioners, or
(bb)services relating to mental health,
(ii)to access veterinary services, where this is required urgently or on the advice of a veterinary surgeon,
(iii)to fulfil a legal obligation, including attending court or satisfying bail conditions, or participating in legal proceedings,
(iv)to avoid a risk of harm,
(v)to attend a funeral of a close family member,
(vi)to obtain basic necessities, such as food and medical supplies for those in the same household (including any pets or animals in the household) where it is not possible to obtain these provisions in any other manner,
(vii)to access critical public services, including social services, and services provided to victims (such as victims of crime),
(viii)to move to a different place specified in sub-paragraph (a), where it becomes impracticable to remain at the address at which they are.