Bradford to set up its own coronavirus test and trace

The local scheme would work with and supplement the national test and trace scheme, the council said

A local test and trace programme is the key to "breaking the chain of transmission", according to Bradford's director of public health.

New coronavirus lockdown restrictions were imposed following a spike in cases of Covid-19 at the end of July.

Dr Sarah Muckle said the local scheme would work with and support the national NHS programme.

Bradford Council said the first tracing teams, using redeployed council staff, would be in place by mid-August.

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Dr Muckle told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We know that the key to controlling Covid-19 is breaking the chain of transmission and that the best way to do that is to understand who has the virus and who they might have passed it to."

Run by locals

She said local tracers, who would be trained by Public Health England, could support the national programme by conducting interviews with people who have tested positive or have been in contact with someone who has.

Contact would be made by phone or text and potentially even visiting people in their homes.

"A local test and trace programme run by local people supplementing the national NHS Test & Trace programme is absolutely critical to getting on top of Covid-19 and returning to normal life," Dr Muckle said.

Bradford is the latest area to announce it is running its own system, after other areas with high rates of infection announced similar plans.

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