Coronavirus Q&A: What's NI's contact tracing plan? Northern Ireland was the primary of the four UK administrations to roll out a contact tracing programme, as part of its plans to deal with coronavirus. Public health officials say contact tracing is a key a part of the response in making an attempt to manage the virus. Here's a information to what the process includes and how it's being carried out in Northern Ireland. What's contact tracing? Contact tracing aims to identify and alert folks who've come into contact with a person contaminated with coronavirus. It is a vital part of the "test, hint and isolate" strategy, credited with helping to elevate restrictions in different nations. Someone who has been contaminated is asked to listing all of the folks they've been in extended contact with, within the interval from 48 hours earlier than their signs started. This Twitter post can't be displayed in your browser. The BBC isn't responsible for the content material of exterior websites. This text contains content material provided by Twitter. We ask on your permission before anything is loaded, as they could also be using cookies and other technologies. Chances are you'll need to read Twitter’s cookie policy, exterior and privateness policy, external earlier than accepting. To view this content select ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not accountable for the content of external websites. Those folks will then be tracked down by cellphone or email, earlier than potentially being asked to self-isolate and, in some circumstances, supplied a check for the virus. Why did contact tracing cease in NI? Contact tracing within the UK largely stopped on 12 March, as the government moved into a distinct stage of its response to the virus. However, the federal government got here underneath criticism for that decision, going through accusations it stopped the system as a result of it did not have enough capacity to perform tracing. On 27 April, the Department of Health in Northern Ireland began an "enhanced contact tracing pilot" again, working on a five-day-a-week basis. From 19 May it was was then rolled out more widely to incorporate all confirmed positive Covid-19 circumstances and operates throughout seven days per week. The newest weekly data from the public Health Agency (PHA) confirmed that within the week as much as 20 October, exterior, 6,953 optimistic cases had been transferred to the contact tracing system. The PHA stated 9,001 contacts had been identified in consequence, however there were 1,913 cases the place contact tracing had not been accomplished. How is it working in Northern Ireland? The system was initially carried out solely by telephone, with PHA employees speaking to people with a positive take a look at about their infection and asking them if there are individuals they have been near who could also be vulnerable to turning into in poor health (their contacts). They may then telephone their contacts and talk to them about their risk of infection. Everyone who has the infection and who's a close contact should self-isolate. People want to offer their phone number after they get a check. There are currently 176 Contact Tracing Service (CTS) staff - 151 of these are totally educated and operational, and the remaining 25 are being trained this month. The PHA said they come from quite a few backgrounds together with nursing, well being improvement staff, RQIA financial institution inspectors, nurses from well being trusts and environmental well being officers. It added that it was "actively adding" extra staff, with further interviews deliberate from its most latest round of recruitment. The number of workers working at anyone time is adjusted based on demand for the service, and that is planned every day based on the variety of exams coming by way of the system. Since 9 October, the tracing service has been working "digital first", external, which means the majority of people that test optimistic at the moment are contacted by text message and supplied with a personal code which they'll use at a web site, to enter details of people with whom they were in recent close proximity. Most optimistic instances will go through the digital system by default, however guide contact will nonetheless be made with some individuals who take a look at positive and a few contacts where a digital method is not acceptable, for instance those that shouldn't have access to a cell phone or to the internet, or these who are involved in complicated settings. There will likely be safeguards and checks constructed into the mannequin to assist be certain that the tactic of engagement is suitable for every individual who is a constructive case or a contact. Dr Gerry Waldron of the PHA mentioned it could improve the velocity of contacts being alerted, and will also "free up contact tracer capability" to deal with more complex instances, given the numerous number of optimistic circumstances coming by the system. The contact call centre is predicated on the PHA in Ballymena. What about contact tracing apps? Northern Ireland launched its Stop Covid app at the tip of July - the first part of the UK to have an app in place. The advantage of the app is it may well identify folks the affected person might not know - like fellow passengers on a bus. Dan West, chief digital info officer at the Department of Health, stated the NI app notifies close contacts automatically, utilizing Bluetooth. However, the new app doesn't work on iPhone 6 or older fashions. Should it work on an all-island basis? The Department of Health says the NI app, and an analogous app rolled out in the Republic of Ireland earlier this yr, work together. A consumer does not have to have each apps put in on the phone - simply set up the app from whichever jurisdiction wherein they stay. Ministers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland signed a memorandum of understanding in April, which co-ordinates their method to tackling the virus. They have already dedicated to "robust data sharing arrangements" north and south of the Irish border. People who've downloaded the app are additionally in a position to proceed utilizing it in the event that they travel to Scotland and Jersey. Work is also beneath method to make the app inter-operable with other contact tracing apps, together with the NHS app utilized in England and Wales, the Department of Health said. How long is contact tracing likely to be utilized in NI? It is anticipated that the system could be in place for 2 years. The NI Executive has maintained that contact tracing is a crucial part for ending the lockdown, and that wider surveillance of the virus in the community is critical. Last week, First Minister Arlene Foster mentioned contact tracing in Northern Ireland needs to be "scaled up". She stated key to ensuring society can stay with the virus till a vaccine is found, is the check, hint and isolate scheme. On common, 1,000 new circumstances of coronavirus in Northern Ireland are actually being recorded every day. A Simple Guide: How do I protect myself? TESTING: Can I get examined for coronavirus? How are Covid-tracing guidelines altering? Why are there doubts over contact-tracing apps?