If test and trace contact you when on holiday…

[Thatswhathappens]

Just wondering as am off on holiday shortly, if test and trace contact you while you are on holiday (either abroad or in this country) can you isolate where you are? I have train tickets booked for a holiday and have return tickets for a specific date so would struggle to get home before that date, if test and trace contacted me when I was on holiday to say one of us had been near a positive contact what would I do?

You'd like to think they've linked up systems. My email address is linked to my full name, DOB, address, NHS number... I'm not exactly hard to trace.

Most people have several email addresses though, you wouldn't use the same one for your bank as you do for Mumsnet, and maybe a different one for personal stuff, so it would depend on which email address they had.

I think ignoring being contacted is not a viable option.

This view just bemuses me tbh. It's not only viable but incredibly easy to simply not open emails and not answer phone calls. Especially as number blocking is an option. The hardest contact to ignore is probably someone physically attending your home, but of course you won't be there if you're on holiday!

@sopositivelynegative *"It says they can email you as well. I don't know if they're smart enough to do this, but it is possible to send emails that can track if you've actually opened them.

I think ignoring being contacted is not a viable option. I am curious however as to what the Government thinks people who don't drive are supposed to do!"*

The bottom line is that a contact tracer has to speak to you and confirm it is you they are speaking to. Sending emails or leaving voicemails doesn't cut it. I for one when in holiday outside the Eurozone switch off my phone per-se and only use WhatsApp due to charges. I don't access voicemails etc. Having spoke to couple of people who were employed to do it, they confirmed the above and basically it was very difficult to contact people, mainly because most will not answer to unknown numbers (or have them blocked) and other probably don't answer deliberately as they already know others that are being contact traced. Emails...well they go missing don't they and so far no investigations about failing to comply have involved seizing electronic equipment to check as it is pointless as they still have to prove it was you that accessed it, not your partner etc

Utterly useless white elephant that has cost a fortune

My work emailed me the dreaded letter whilst I was travelling.. make sure your you don't leave yourself contactable via email! You can put automatic reply on your work email, I wonder if you can do that for emails to your personal account for specific senders? Eg work?