Environmental Health Officer’s around Scotland have now begun their role as contact tracers for Test and Protect- Scotland’s approach to implemented the “test, trace, isolate support” strategy.
Since 28 May 2020, once an individual receives a positive result, a team of contact tracers will then gather details on individuals who have been in contact with the person who tested positive. The contact tracers will then proceed to contact these individuals and advise them to isolate.
As EHOs already have wide experience in contact tracing they are classed as “Expert Tracers”, they will provide mentoring to other contact tracers as well as dealing with more complex cases such as those who may require more persuasion to self-isolate or those who have been in contact with many people such as being on an airplane for example and the airline will need to be contacted.
From the 28 May to 14 June, the test and protect figures are:
- Cases- 992 (of which 891 have completed contact tracing)
- Contacts traced- 1239
This data is produced weekly by Public Health Scotland who produce weekly releases which presents data on COVID-19 across NHSScotland.
The data is the number of contacts which are recorded in the contact tracing software. As this is a new process and the recording within boards is embedding, there will be data quality issues, which will be resolved in the coming weeks through close management with PHS and NHS Boards. Therefore the figures presented are provisional and will be updated. However, the figures shown give an indication of activity on contact tracing across NHS Boards.
Photo Credit: Public Health Scotland
