RE: Track & Trace1 May 2020 18:56
– How will it help combat the spread of the virus?
Health Secretary Matt Han**** has said the strategy could help to suppress the transmission of Covid-19 in a way that then allows less stringent rules.
But Mr Han**** has also said that coronavirus cases need to drop substantially before the next phase of isolating infected people and their contacts can be truly effective.
The theory is that once lockdown measures have reduced the infection rate, it will be easier to use the test, track and trace approach to keep track of new cases.
Crucially, people will first need to know if they have coronavirus.
The Government has pledged to carry out 100,000 tests a day by the end of April, and has widened the eligibility criteria to include all key workers.
The only tests currently available check whether a person has coronavirus by looking for antigens.
They do not show whether a person has previously had the virus, as reliable antibody tests have yet to be found.
– What happens next?
The Government wants to track Covid-19 in the population to try to understand the current rate of infection alongside how many people have developed antibodies to the virus.