Thousands still not being reached by Test and Trace
Thousands of people who have been in contact with someone with coronavirus across the Black Country and Staffordshire are still not being reached by the test and trace system, latest figures suggest.
Across England around 92 per cent of contacts not managed by local health protection teams were reached and told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace in the week to December 23.
Data from the Department of Health and Social Care shows about 164,000 people in the region should have been contacted by the Test and Trace service between May 28 and December 23, after coming into contact with someone with Covid-19.
Contact tracers ask patients to give details for anyone they were in close contact with in the 48 hours before their symptoms started.
But more than 51,000 in the Black Country and Staffordshire were not contacted, or failed to respond, which meant they were never told to isolate.
In Staffordshire, 30,599 people were transferred to the service after testing positive for coronavirus – with 2,444 in the latest seven-day period of figures published. It meant that 62,802 close contacts were identified – but just 70.8 per cent of those responded, meaning 18,362 were not contacted.
In Sandwell, 14,436 tested positive for the virus in this time – including 1,168 in the latest week’s figures. It meant that 30,770 close contacts were identified – but just 65.5 per cent were reached, meaning 10,628 were not contacted.
A total of 12,258 were transferred to Test and Trace in Dudley, including 978 in the latest figures. 26,391 close contacts were identified – but just 69 per cent were reached, meaning 8,182 were not contacted or did not respond.
The data shows in Walsall, 10,708 people who tested positive were transferred to the service in the time period – including 884 in the latest seven-day period. It meant 25,593 close contacts being identified – but only 68.2 per cent were reached, meaning 7,514 people were not contacted or did not respond.
And in Wolverhampton, 9,800 people who tested positive for the virus in the city were transferred to Test and Trace, including 957 new cases. It meant 20,895 close contacts were identified – but only 69.2 per cent were reached, meaning 6,436 people were not contacted or did not respond.
