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

Thanks OP

I promise this is my last question

If I get caught in the net and told to SI, assuming no symptoms, is it completely illegal to go for a walk? I have long term mental health issues and live in a tiny flat.

I don’t go anywhere like pub because I’m scared of being caught as a contact and told to SI, mostly because of the being unable to go out for air.

Thank you.

@AcornAutumn That is the case as far as we're told I'm afraid, I wish it wasn't. You're doing all you can to keep yourself well and hopefully isolation isn't on the cards for you.

@ContactTracer why would people who've used a paper register to sign in not be told to isolate when everyone at the same place with the app has been told to?

[quote ContactTracer]@AcornAutumn That is the case as far as we're told I'm afraid, I wish it wasn't. You're doing all you can to keep yourself well and hopefully isolation isn't on the cards for you.[/quote]
Thank you.

@thisisnotwhatisignedupfor I don't work with the app and it's not connected to our systems. It's completely pointless in both my opinion and experience. I would assume the difference is down to real life people being able to assess risk.

My coworker tested positive a week ago. I am self isolating for 14 days because I know I have been in close contact with her over several days, and my employer has also advised me to. But why havent i been contacted by track and trace? I have the app, i thought I'd get a notification.

@tumpymummy

My coworker tested positive a week ago. I am self isolating for 14 days because I know I have been in close contact with her over several days, and my employer has also advised me to. But why havent i been contacted by track and trace? I have the app, i thought I'd get a notification.

OP has said she doesn’t deal with the app

But I’m curious

Wouldn’t you only get notified by the app if the coworker had the app too?

Hi, I have a query. I tested positive on 14 Nov. My isolation ended yesterday. DH and kids isolating till Saturday. DH been tested today as thinks he has symptoms. If he tests positive, I know he has to isolate for a further 10 days, but do I or kids need to? Please say we don’t!! Thanks

@tumpymummy You're not clear if your coworker uses the app or not but it's not something I have any training in so have no idea how it actually works. In order for us to be contacting contacts of positive cases we have to have the details provided to us, either on the online form sent to cases to fill in or by phone if we call as they have not filled in the form.

@KriKay You may have to depending on when symptoms started? Kids will not. Will post an example below to try and provide some clarity which I hope is helpful.
Person A displays symptoms/test positive - They have to isolate for 10 days, household (B, C & D) for 14.
Person B tests positive on say 3rd day of isolation - Person A and the household do not have to extend isolation as they are already in the isolation period.
Person C tests positive/develops symptoms on day 12 - Person B does not need to extend isolation period as they are still in their own isolation period. Person A needs to start a 14 day isolation period as a contact as they have ended isolation. Person D isolation ends in 2 days as first stated.
Person D - Never tests positive, isolation ends after original 14 days.
I hope this helps, the rules aren't perfect as they don't take into account the short term immunity most positive cases have or the fact that person A may have also been planning to do 14 days isolation rather than the original 10 in the case of children who can't leave home without parents etc.

@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

Do you work for Arvato?

How long does each call take? I'm just nosy seeing the target as my job is usually 150 calls a day!

@TeaBanditTeej I don’t.

@QueenPaws Isolation notification can take up to 20 minutes, a straight forward follow up to check in is about 4 minutes, voicemail (get plenty of these) around 40 seconds. Calls are not timed and we have the freedom to spend as long as we need to on calls.

A basic one which you may already have answered

Where do you get the initial phone number from? Is it from a PHE positive test form with mobile number or...

What if someone who tests positive names a contact, say 1.5m for 15 mins, but the contact is adamant that they were >2m away for 5 mins. Does the person being contacted have the right of reply? Or do they have to isolate even if the positive person misjudges the distance/time? What about positive people maliciously naming enemies as close contacts?

Do you believe children identified as contacts by the school on 18th December will fully isolate right over the Christmas relaxation period?

Why don’t you follow up on kids told to isolate by schools? Aren’t they contacts just as much as adults can be?

Thanks! Fingers crossed he’s negative!!

It really stressed me out being called repeatedly for various family members while I was really sick.
A lot of calls also sounded like they were just reading off a script to me and offered no practical help just a tick box exercise.
I'm glad you got some work though it's been a rubbish year

Oh I have another one. How many contacts have you followed up who went on to develop symptoms / test positive on days 12-14 of isolation? For all the inconvenience and government insistence that 14 days is necessary, I would expect a fair number to actually be starting with symptoms after 11 days.

@Lemons1571

Oh I have another one. How many contacts have you followed up who went on to develop symptoms / test positive on days 12-14 of isolation? For all the inconvenience and government insistence that 14 days is necessary, I would expect a fair number to actually be starting with symptoms after 11 days.

Excellent question Lemons. I'd like to know that too.

As others have just asked, I'd be interested to find out out about people who are traced as contacts who then dispute that they've been in contact for more than 15 minutes less than 2 metres away. Like you've said, many have just forgotten then realise, but there must be some people who are contacted who genuinely haven't been a close contact, what happens then if they really do dispute it?

Also, according to the rules - if you have been contacted by T&T and told to isolate then you must do this or risk a fine - what counts as being contacted? If you leave a voicemail does that count, or do you actually have to have spoken to the person?

It'll be interesting to see how many people keep their kids in school that last week or term, imagine being called by track and trace just as the school holidays start

New question: are you working today and getting grief from the people you call who are in tier 3?

Do you think being in a local team would make a difference?

Am about to start training for this. And I feel really nervous. Seems so much to learn in only 5 days!

We would direct to the fabulous NHS Volunteer Responders who can co-ordinate locally and do walk dogs if needed.

I have a (rescue) dog with significant behavioural issues. One of his "party tricks" is turning around to bite my lower legs - drawing blood - when he sees a trigger. I've mostly trained him out of this but wouldn't trust him not to do it with someone else walking him.

Are the NHS volunteer responders
a) trained to deal with dogs that have behavioural problems
b) insured, in case something dog-related goes wrong?

If not, is there additional funding to cover the cost of a professional, experienced, insured dog walker? Mine would cost £188 for a fortnight.

(iii)to fulfil a legal obligation, including attending court or satisfying bail conditions, or participating in legal proceedings,

I am legally obligated to
a) pay the rent - a matter of civil / contract law. To do that, I need to leave the house and go to work. I cannot work from home, and as I'm self employed, there's no such thing as sick pay.
b) pay the council tax - if I don't, I could get up to 3 months in prison. To do that, I need to leave the house and go to work.

c) walk the dog - under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. As outlined above, I'm probably the only one who can do this.

I wouldn't get the £500 payment because I'm not on benefits and (based on past experience, as someone who's #ExcludedUK and has been excluded from claiming both furlough and SEISS, despite losing work) I presume I wouldn't get the discretionary grant due to some arbitrary criteria. My council doesn't publish the criteria they assess the discretionary grants on. Even if I could get the £500, it still wouldn't be enough to cover my basic outgoings, let alone the dog walker, so to be perfectly honest it's still unaffordable.

WTF are people like me meant to do? I've been thoroughly abandoned by the government throughout the pandemic, and so a fortnight off unpaid just isn't feasible.

What happens if someone simply never picks up your calls? I've programmed the outbound T&T numbers into my phone so I know not to pick up - because I can't afford to self isolate.

If you leave a message on initial call why do T&T not attempt contact again? This specifically happened to my friend and the whole house had to isolate for 14days because they had no idea who needed to isolate or for how long.
How many people do you contact who already knows they should be isolating? For example contacting someone’s colleagues or family semesters a waste of your time when they can just tell those colleagues and family members themselves?

What's you opinion about why UK T&T is performing so badly and much worse than other nations - is it lack of public health expertise?