Brits who get call from NHS from 9am TODAY must self-isolate for 14 days even with no symptoms

NHS Test and Trace will officially launch across England on Thursday with the help of 25,000 contact tracers, while an accompanying app is still delayed by several weeks.

People with coronavirus will have their contacts traced under the scheme, which aims to cut off routes of transmission for the virus and control local flare-ups.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the test and trace scheme is the start of replacing the national lockdown with "individual isolation" for those who have been in contact with the coronavirus, along with "local action where it's necessary to respond to a flare up".

Mr Hancock said it would enable them to "hunt down the virus" to find out who has been infected, telling the Downing Street briefing: "We all have our part to play.

"This system will start tomorrow morning at 9am. And the first people who will be contacted will be the people who received a positive result today.

"This is a very distinct change on our approach.

"This is a national effort and we all have a role. If you have symptoms, you must isolate immediately and get yourself a test."

Mr Hancock said contact tracing would enable an NHS clinician and the person with the virus to work together "like detectives" to identify the possible movements of the virus.

He went on: "We must all follow the NHS test and trace instructions as this is how we control the virus, protect the NHS and save lives."

"If you get symptoms, isolate immediately and get a test.

"If you are contacted by NHS test and trace instructing you to isolate, you must. It is your civic duty, so you avoid unknowingly spreading the virus and you help to break the chain of transmission."

The Health Secretary added: "This will be voluntary at first because we trust everyone to do the right thing.

"But, we can quickly make it mandatory if that is what it takes.

"Because, if we don't collectively make this work, then the only way forward is to keep the lockdown."

The executive chairwoman of NHS Test and Trace Baroness Dido Harding outlined how the new system would work.

Baroness Harding said: "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:

"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."

Baroness Harding added that compliance with the new test and trace system is "vital" to carefully lift the remaining lockdown measures.

She said: "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."

Baroness Harding added: "NHS Test and Trace in turn will get in touch with those contacts.

"So if you've been exposed to an infected person, they will be in contact with you. You will then be instructed by the NHS to self-isolate for 14 days, even if you don't have symptoms or you feel perfectly well. You need to follow these instructions.

"This individual and collective effort is vital if we're to keep the rate of infection down and carefully lift the lockdown."