Rotherham Council offers government its views on Covid-19 tracing system

Rotherham Council offers government its views on Covid-19 tracing system
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Rotherham Council's director of public health has confirmed the authority is feeding through to central government the authority’s views on the design of a COVID-19 contact tracing system.

Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick has said councils across the country will be will be ‘important in designing the model’.

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A contact tracing system could help the UK move out of lockdown, by tracing contact between smartphone users.

Robert JenrickRobert Jenrick
Robert Jenrick

The duration of the contact and the distance between the phones would then trigger notifications if a user experiences Covid-19 symptoms.

An app is currently being tested by the NHS on the Isle of Wight, and it is hoped that it will be rolled out across the country if the trial proves successful.

Mr Jenrick said local governments play an ‘important role’ in designing the contact tracing system.

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He said: “Local authorities will be asked to contribute staff, some of whom have huge experience to bring to that."

Teresa Roche, director of public health for Rotherham confirmed that the authority is working alongside the government on the system.

She said: “Plans are still being formed at central Government level and we have yet to be informed of the specific role local authorities will have.

“However, the local authority is feeding through to central government their views on the design of the contact tracing system through a variety of routes including the local resilience forum and via the association of directors of public health.

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“A South Yorkshire local resilience forum cell has been established to work through local issues related to implementation of the national system and to ensure joined-up approach between contact tracing and testing.”

Mr Jenrick said the experience of local authorities was ‘extremely important’ in the development of the system.

He said: “Some challenges will be very particular to certain communities so it is important we do take a nuanced approach.”

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