Throughout the pandemic, your support in following public health guidelines has been vital in reducing the spread of coronavirus. By doing so, you have saved lives. As ‘lockdown’ restrictions are eased, we face the risk of a second wave of infection. We can all help minimise that risk by continuing to support public health measures to control the spread, such as testing and contact tracing. Testing and contact tracing helps break the chain of transmission of the virus. By identifying people who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, and asking them to self-isolate, we can limit the onward spread (reproduction) of the
virus. Keeping the reproduction (R) number low allows us to continue moving towards more normal family, working and social lives. Friends and family can see each other, and schools and businesses can reopen. It will also help to protect our health service from being overwhelmed.
Testing and contact tracing will only work if we all play our part. This means:
• get tested if we have symptoms;
• help with contact tracing;
• self-isolate when we are advised to.
Along with social distancing and hygiene precautions, testing and tracing is our best chance to protect our communities from coronavirus.
