Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

If I don't answer to track and trace

43 replies

flyinghigghh · 20/12/2021 11:18

What will happen?
Myself and dd tested positive last week and feel so rough currently in bed. They have tried to call and I missed it and tried again and the line was really bad and couldn't hear. I really don't have the energy to speak to anyone. Do I have to?

OP posts:
SamMil · 20/12/2021 11:28

Did you not receive an email entitled "PLEASE RESPOND to the NHS Test and Trace service to follow up on your positive test result"?

There's a link on there for you to complete the form online instead of a phone call.

Original poster
flyinghigghh · 20/12/2021 11:42

No, not received any emails. Would much rather fill something in on line

OP posts:
Missingjigsawpuzzle · 20/12/2021 11:43

My experience of trace and trace is that they will ring you continually between 8am and 8pm until they get the answer they want. They will also ring you for each person registered (e.g. I filled out form and listed my children as contacts with my number then I received separate calls for each of us). I didn't have energy to move, eat, drink, anything yet my phone would ring up to 30 times a day and an answerphone msg would be left each time. I tried downloading a blocker and all sorts.

By day 4 when I felt mildly better I managed to answer one call then couldn't answer the rest (for my children). I sent a complaint in once I could manage it but as you can imagine it went nowhere

Useruseruserusee · 20/12/2021 11:44

Yes, I was able to respond online. No phone calls yet thankfully. I hate speaking to anyone on the phone.

Metalhead · 20/12/2021 11:55

You’ll probably get an email with a link to an online form, check your junk folder as mine went in there.

TheOldStar · 20/12/2021 11:59

Nothing, they will try for a few days and then stop.

AD80 · 20/12/2021 12:38

We've not even had phone calls. We had to fill details in online. I've heard of test and trace turning up if you don't respond but you are a week and at the tail end of it so would be pointless for them to do so now. So I wouldn't worry.

ALittleOldLadyTookInHerGoat · 20/12/2021 12:44

Online form is a pain in the arse to complete when feeling unwell.

Pinkflipflop85 · 20/12/2021 12:50

In our case they did not stop ringing until we answered. Every. Single. Day.

They then did the same for dcs. I found it absolutely ridiculous that they could not discuss us all in the same call!

RTHJ14 · 20/12/2021 12:53

My 8 year old was positive and my husband missed several calls due to work meetings… they turned up on our doorstep!

LadyIckenham · 20/12/2021 12:54

We never received a link just calls.
It was for asymptomatic DD so I answered each time but line was terrible (echo). Asked them to call in landline, same thing. After two attempts, they then said they would call straight back and didn't.

Got a call from local Authority T&T two days later but all they did was note the name of her school and little else.' In fairness, I suspect they are rather busy at the moment.

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 20/12/2021 12:58

I blocked their calls.

I was at work (lived there for two weeks because I was looking after people who had it then caught it myself).

For some reason they couldn’t grasp the situation and thought putting me on hold while they got their heads around it was reasonable.

They kept repeating that I shouldn’t be in work and were unable to move off their little script.

Whitefire · 20/12/2021 12:59

When my MIL had a positive result they rang and rang, visited and sent a snotty letter about her not responding to them.

I sent an equally snotty email telling them the reason she hadn't responded was because she was still in the hospital bed where she bloody caught it in the first place.

I did get an apology.

RJnomore1 · 20/12/2021 13:02

I’m in Scotland and I had COVID in May roughly but I will never answer them again.

I was really ill, had filled in the online form, felt a moral duty to talk to them and despite them being able to hear how poorly I was they insisted on going through about a 25 minute form that I had already filled in with me. They then tried to call back for my daughter. I didn’t answer and didn’t answer again, they phoned repeatedly for about 8 days then it stopped. I wouldn’t answer the door to them either. I get it’s important to try to trace but I had given them the information online and I could barely get a sentence out. At the end she did say she was a nurse and I should order an oximeter to check my blood oxygen, which was useful but came about 25 minutes into an unneeded conversation where I had really struggled.

Never. Again.

wtftodo · 20/12/2021 13:03

I'm on day 8, haven't had any calls at all, but I did fill in the online form. DP didn't get his PCR back till saturday, filled the online form in, and they called him repeatedly yesterday until he answered.

middleager · 20/12/2021 13:05

When I finally answered (our second rodeo with T&T) on behalf of me and DS, I was still delirious, in bed with Covid.
I said I was too unwell to take the call. The advisor said fine, what time should he call back. I said I didn't know as I was really ill with Covid.
He said if I didn't speak to them they would inform the LA that I was refusing!
I reluctantly took the call, sweat pouring down me, head on the pillow. I gave yes snd no answers only and it still took 24 minutes.

The previous year we had had a barrage of separate calls for me and my kids when one tested positive..
It was absolutely relentless and I was trying to work then.

chocolateoranges33 · 20/12/2021 13:08

Me and DC1 tested positive last week. My contact details used for both of us. I completed everything online for me, but I had to speak to someone on behalf of DC1 as under 18. I felt awful (still don't feel much better now) but call handler was really good, completed everything really quickly and was over in about 10 minutes. Its best just to get it done asap as otherwise they will continue to ring until you answer. If you dont answer they may send someone round.

middleager · 20/12/2021 13:12

@chocolateoranges33

Me and DC1 tested positive last week. My contact details used for both of us. I completed everything online for me, but I had to speak to someone on behalf of DC1 as under 18. I felt awful (still don't feel much better now) but call handler was really good, completed everything really quickly and was over in about 10 minutes. Its best just to get it done asap as otherwise they will continue to ring until you answer. If you dont answer they may send someone round.
I don't know whether this had changed, but during our first experience with T&T, when we knew no better, last winter, we did fill out the form and pick up that first early morning call, but they sent multiple emails, texts, for 10 days, there were dozens. We also received multiple calls daily for each member of the house, which we took, half hour at a time! It was relentless as I said. Not everybody had escaped with the online form and one 10 minute call. We assumed by doing that we were done, but the intrusion they caused for 10 days, not to mention the missed calls, was overwhelming.
lorn195 · 20/12/2021 13:26

Oh god they are so annoying. When DS tested positive 2 weeks ago, they rang and asked me the names of his close contracts. When I tried to explain to them that he was at school, so I had no idea who he had been in close contact with.

This obviously didn't satisfy them, as I had a call from PHE a few days later asking why I didn't give the names of any close contacts, so again I explained I it may be better for them to contact the school.

Rang the school to explain what had happened only to be told that PHE would have to submit that request in writing (the school were following PHE guidelines).

No surprises when I was told they (PHE) were closing the case!

Rocketpants50 · 20/12/2021 13:30

They absolutely hound you but then when you ask them a question they can't answer it!

lorn195 · 20/12/2021 13:32

@Rocketpants50

They absolutely hound you but then when you ask them a question they can't answer it!
So true.
littlepeas · 20/12/2021 13:39

I've blocked their number just in case we go down with it again. That experience would put me off bothering to PCR tbh - would prefer to just isolate with unreported lft.

We weren't ill, but it was relentless and felt like a huge invasion of our privacy. Four out of five of us went down one by one over October half term and had exactly the same call for each of us - we had only had contact with each other, so the same form had to be filled out the same way four times and the multiple texts/calls were just ridiculous. What a complete and utter waste of time and resources.

DSGR · 20/12/2021 13:45

They are annoying but if you can give them 10 mins they will then put up with just texting.
If you don’t answer the local public health team can turn up on your doorstep

KloppsTeeth · 20/12/2021 13:47

DS tested positive last week. The person who phoned us said it would take 25 mins but then he basically lied and told us school would send us the questionnaire. They don’t. So I called them back and gave his contacts as the school.

We have tested positive. We have filled out the app and questionnaire online but they continue to email us demanding we will it in. Tempted to add Boris Johnson at at cheese and wine party at a close contact (I would not do this, but it is bloody tempting).
How many times do they want it filled in? What a waste of tax payers money. An A Level computer student could design a better system from free that this expensive system.

TrufflesAndToast · 20/12/2021 13:56

Does anyone know if there is any legal requirement to engage with them or could you just ignore calls and ignore them at the door? I have zero intention of engaging with them if I test positive at any point. Will let contacts know myself and I object in principle to T&T and I refuse to recognise them as an organisation entitled to my private information. But can there actually be any recourse if you just hang up on them?