A new NHS Test and Trace services was launched today, designed at helping towns like Felixstowe to confine the Coronavirus.

25,000 dedicated contact tracing staff working with Public Health England will have the capacity to trace the contacts of 10,000 people who test positive for coronavirus per day and can be scaled up if needed.

From today, anyone who tests positive for coronavirus will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and will need to share information about their recent interactions. This could include household members, people with whom they have been in direct contact, or within two metres for more than 15 minutes.

People who are contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service will be given clear information explaining what they must do and how they can access local support if needed.

This will be complemented by the rollout of the NHS COVID-19 App in the coming weeks.

The new guidance means:

Anyone with a new, continuous cough, a high temperature or a change in their sense of smell or taste is asked to immediately report these symptoms and book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus.

Anyone (all ages) with symptoms will be tested and their close contacts will be traced.

Those who have been in close contact with someone who tests positive must isolate for 14 days, even if they have no symptoms.

If those in isolation develop symptoms, they can book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119. If they test positive, they must continue to stay at home for 7 days or until their symptoms have passed. If they test negative, they must complete the 14-day isolation period.

Members of their household will not have to stay at home unless the person identified becomes symptomatic, at which point they must also self-isolate for 14 days to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.