“We Will Keep People Home By Law, If Necessary” – UK Unveils New “Test & Trace” Plan To Fight COVID-19: Live Updates
by Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge.com
Wed, 05/27/2020
Summary:
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock unveils “test & trace”
Italy reports another 117 deaths
Disney to reopen “the Magic Kingdom”
Dr. Fauci says images of MDW partiers are ‘troubling’
Germany returns chloroquine donated by Bayer
India cases top 150k
France discontinues use of hydroxychloroquine
Japan, EU push new stimulus
New Chinese study confirms COVID uses same ‘strategy’ as HIV to cripple immune system
Wuhan finds 200 ‘asymptomatic’ cases after testing millions
ECB’s Lagarde said eurozone economy could take 12% hit due to virus
WHO reiterates warnings about premature reopening
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Update (1310ET): As expected, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock unveiled HMG’s new plan for guiding the country back to some degree of normalcy. It will rely heavily on the NHS and a new legion of contact tracers, and a new “test and trace” regimen that will take full advantage of the surveillance apps and methodologies that have been developed in the pursuit of contact tracing, a controversial technique that has nevertheless been touted as the answer for preventing the second wave.
‘From 9am tomorrow if you are contacted by an NHS test and trace advisor telling you to isolate, you must do that whether you have symptoms or not’ says Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
Follow the briefing live: https://t.co/XLwYsffkC7 pic.twitter.com/6TL3yn2iXW
— SkyNews (@SkyNews) May 27, 2020
Beginning Thursday, across the UK, anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms should report themselves to NHS specialists to get a test. When patients test positive, the NHS will deploy the contact tracing experts to reach out to anyone who has been in close contact with the patient, and ask them to isolate for 14 days.
“As we move to the next stage of our fight against coronavirus, we will be able to replace national lockdowns with individual isolation and, if necessary, local action where there are outbreaks,” Hancock said.
However, Hancock warned that if the initial voluntary system is not respected, the government will not hesitate to sic the police on anyone who doesn’t comply, since the very fate of the nation may be at stake.
“NHS Test and Trace will be vital to stopping the spread of the virus. It is how we will be able to protect our friends and family from infection, and protect our NHS”.
“This new system will help us keep this virus under control while carefully and safely lifting the lockdown nationally.”
Afterward, the NHS executive chairwoman of the Test and Trace effort Baroness Dido Harding outlined how the new system would work:
“I want you to feel safe and confident to play an active part in NHS Test and Trace, for you, your loved ones and our country. We do need you to follow the following three steps,” she said.
Here are the main steps for the public as she explained them, according to the Telegraph.
“Step one – if you have one or more of the symptoms of coronavirus, a fever, a new, continuous cough or loss of your sense of taste or smell, you must immediately self-isolate.
“Step two – you should then book a test on the NHS.uk/coronavirus site, or if you don’t have internet access, by dialling 119. Do not leave home for any other reason. If you test positive, you will then be contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service within 24 hours. All contact tracers have been undergoing training and induction before the beginning of this week and before they start work.
“Step three – NHS Test and Trace will help you establish who you’ve been in close contact with and so who you might have infected and will gather their contact details. This could include members of your household, or someone you’ve been in two metres of for more than 15 minutes.”
As the Q&A continued, Hancock and the assembled officials clarified that the new guidance doesn’t call for varying the lockdown by age. And as the new targeted program begins, the UK has already hired an army of 25,000 contact tracers ready to start hunting the virus, the Baroness added.
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The Rest…HERE
