Can I dispute a close contact with test and trace?

MediocrePenguin · 2021-07-10T18:05:08+00:00

Just wondering if anyone had the same situation as me:- Just come out of isolation following a positive Covid test, have been poorly but now fine. 3 days later I am notified by test and trace as a close contact, someone has given my details as I don't have the app. I disagree I was a close contact as it was outdoors and I did not spend 15 minutes within 1-2m of anyone there! Can I dispute this with test and trace and has anyone had any luck with doing so? I've also just bloody well had Covid so I'm sure the chances of getting it again within a week are pretty low!

EatingAllThePies · 10/07/2021 19:16

Has this posted twice?

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 10/07/2021 19:21

Close contact is not defined as 15 minutes only. The definition is on the coronavirus govt page here

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person

anyone who has had any of the following types of contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19:
• face-to-face contact including being coughed on or having a face-to-face conversation within one metre
• been within one metre for one minute or longer without face-to-face contact
• been within 2 metres of someone for more than 15 minutes (either as a one-off contact, or added up together over one day)

BoxHedge · 10/07/2021 19:23

I don’t think it counts within 28 days of having COVID. If you are in the same household where COVID gets passed around over a few weeks, the first person to catch it doesn’t have to isolate again as a contact of the last person. There was a diagram on the BBC app, trying to find it…

BoxHedge · 10/07/2021 19:29

I would apply similar principle to this diagram plus a bit of common sense - the first person to go through covid doesn’t have to isolate again as a positive contact of the last person, presumably as the assumption is they are not going to get COVID again / be infectious immediately after recovering.

Can I dispute a close contact with test and trace?

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 10/07/2021 19:31

From the guidance

Original poster

MediocrePenguin · 10/07/2021 21:10

@BoxHedge

I would apply similar principle to this diagram plus a bit of common sense - the first person to go through covid doesn’t have to isolate again as a positive contact of the last person, presumably as the assumption is they are not going to get COVID again / be infectious immediately after recovering.

Thanks yes I've seen that chart it's really helpful.

However this is a bit different as it's a new possible exposure so that chart wouldn't apply.

OP posts:

Original poster

MediocrePenguin · 10/07/2021 21:12

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo yes I don't fall into any of those so was wondering if I could argue my case. I guess after all it's just one persons word against another?! Not sure how they decide who is right tbh.

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DeathByWalkies · 11/07/2021 00:36

Most people who are told to self isolate don't... I'd be cracking on with my day. Can't afford the loss of income myself.

CheddarGorge · 11/07/2021 07:52

@BoxHedge

I don’t think it counts within 28 days of having COVID. If you are in the same household where COVID gets passed around over a few weeks, the first person to catch it doesn’t have to isolate again as a contact of the last person. There was a diagram on the BBC app, trying to find it…

This is what I thought however when I spoke to track n trace yesterday (my daughter has covid) I asked

' If during the isolation one of the other household members gets symptoms, does my dd's isolation still end in 10 days'

And he said

' No because she can still carry the virus and infect others even if she's had it so you all have to isolate again'

Lemons1571 · 11/07/2021 08:09

@CheddarGorge he’s wrong. I had a tracer say this to me last week. I told him I was right, and to contact his team leader to clarify. He came back and said yes you’re right. So I am ignoring the T&T emails with the later date. We are not staying in longer just because their systems and training is not fit for purpose.

@MediocrePenguin
I want to know this! DS3 wants to go to school on the last day of term (which will be exactly 14 days since he tested positive). But if he was contact traced on that day i would be furious.

CheddarGorge · 11/07/2021 08:29

@Lemons1571 they're a real joke... how can they not know this stuff after how many calls they're making each day!

Lemons1571 · 11/07/2021 08:35

@CheddarGorge the gov.uk link is here. There is probably a high turnover of contact tracing staff who get very little training in what they are supposed to do.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/961291/Stay_at_home_illustration_Feb_2021.pdf

Original poster

MediocrePenguin · 11/07/2021 09:20

@CheddarGorge that's definitely wrong. We've been through it in our house and I was released one week before my child after my isolation ended and they were still ill. It is a bit strange through to think you can go out whilst someone in your house still has Covid but I guess the risk is small if passing it on by that point.

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Original poster

MediocrePenguin · 11/07/2021 09:22

@Lemons1571 exactly this! I've cancelled their out of school activities for this reason, I'm so desperate for them to get to finish school properly after they've been isolating for weeks!

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Lemons1571 · 11/07/2021 09:25

@MediocrePenguin not exactly “following the science” is it. Under house arrest when definitely immune and 0% chance of passing it on

UnmentionedElephantDildo · 11/07/2021 09:31

The person knew you well enough to know your name and phone number to tell T&T

This isn't a random mistake (as you might get from the app)

If you got close than 1m face to face at all or within 1m not face to face for 1 minute then T&T are correct. And they didn't make this up, they have someine who has said that is what the contact was like.

Your assertion that you didn't spend 15 mins near anyone will make no difference, because that time limit is not necessarily the one that applies.

Original poster

MediocrePenguin · 11/07/2021 12:09

@UnmentionedElephantDildo

It was an outdoor activity, i did not know the people there I assume they must have got my details via the organiser of the activity. Having just been through isolation myself I know the criteria for a close contact so I made sure that I was not close to anyone there. I guess maybe they misunderstood the criteria or simply gave details of all attendees even the ones not close to them.

I'm just wondering how test and trace can be sure who is correct if two people have very different views on whether it was close contact or not.

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Original poster

MediocrePenguin · 11/07/2021 12:11

@Lemons1571 our whole house has now had it in the last two weeks and both me and husband are also double vaccinated.
We must be pretty damn immune by now!

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Lemons1571 · 11/07/2021 13:36

[quote MediocrePenguin]@UnmentionedElephantDildo

It was an outdoor activity, i did not know the people there I assume they must have got my details via the organiser of the activity. Having just been through isolation myself I know the criteria for a close contact so I made sure that I was not close to anyone there. I guess maybe they misunderstood the criteria or simply gave details of all attendees even the ones not close to them.

I'm just wondering how test and trace can be sure who is correct if two people have very different views on whether it was close contact or not. [/quote]
T&T don’t know. They just err on the side of caution and ask others to isolate based on the positive case/organisation musing “well it might have been more than 2m but they might have walked past me once at less than 1m, hmmm dunno really”.

Chaos and disruption ensues.