Three satellite contact-tracing sites opened in battle against Covid-19

By Rebecca Black, PA

Three satellite contact-tracing sites have been set up in the battle against Covid-19.

The sites located in Belfast, Armagh and Londonderry have been set up by the Public Health Agency (PHA) to bolster the main contact tracing service centre in County Hall, Ballymena.

Chief medical officer Sir Michael McBride visited the Belfast site on Wednesday and met many of the contact tracers and duty officers who have been working to help keep the public safe during the current pandemic.

Sir Michael said the additional sites is “another positive step in our ongoing fight against the Covid-19 pandemic”.

“Let me again pay tribute to the essential and valuable work that our PHA colleagues and our health and social care staff continue to provide across Northern Ireland,” he said.

“These measures will help to ensure our services continue to provide the best care possible in these extremely challenging times.”

PHA chief executive Aidan Dawson said the demand on contact tracing has increased with the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases.

“Contact tracing continues to be a vital tool in the fight against Covid-19; the service is based on a flexible model which enables us to increase the number of tracing hours to meet forecast demand,” he said.

“With a large rise in cases expected over the summer months we worked hard in the build-up to increase the service’s workforce each week, adding additional capacity to the operation.

“This has also meant increasing our accommodation to meet the needs of our growing workforce.

“The service now operates across four locations in Northern Ireland, and we will keep both our workforce and accommodation needs under review to ensure we can respond flexibly to the needs of the population during the pandemic.

“Although we have increased in size, our role in supporting people who have tested positive and their contacts remains the same.”

Mr Dawson also paid tribute to the staff delivering the contact-tracing service and acute health protection service.

“These vital services have, and continue to, save lives,” he said.

“We are asking the public to work with us, Covid-19 is still a threat and we need everyone to play their part in helping to stop the virus spreading.

“It is therefore essential that we remember the key advice to help keep ourselves and those around us safe.

“Please get the vaccine if you’re eligible.

“Maintain social distancing, wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering when required, and self-isolate and get a PCR test if you display any symptoms of coronavirus.

“If you are a close contact of a positive case, follow the advice on what you need to do next from the CTS.”