Plans for contact tracing to be put in place

PLANS for local councils across Tyrone and the north to become involved in the process of contact tracing for the coronavirus are set to be laid out during a series of meeting with the Public Health Agency starting from today (Monday).

The PHA and the local government sector are to work together on the arrangements, but these have still not been finalised.

It emerged last week that Fermanagh and Omagh Council was among those which had received correspondence from the PHA informing them that their assistance in contact tracing would be required.

This followed calls from local Sinn Fein councillor, Barry McElduff, for some staff to be re-deployed into contact tracing. It involves making contact with people who may have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus.

“A pool of Council environmental Health Offices across NI are currently being identified to assist the PHA with contact tracing,” a spokesperson for Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said.

“FODC (the council) have currently identified two officers to assist with the work over the next two weeks. The number of officers participating may increase.”

Chief Medical officer, Michael McBride, told the Stormont Health committee that an enhanced contact tracing programme would be piloted.

He said that it was previously stopped based on ‘sound public health considerations’ adding that as the nation moved into the next phase it would become ‘crucially important’ to ramp up contact tracing to get on top of local pockets of the virus.

Dr McBride said officials would work alongside colleagues in the UK and the Republic using similar digital platforms to share information and enhance tracing.

The development has been welcomed by cllr McElduff, who said the expertise of council staff could be utilised during the ‘crucial second phase’ of coronavirus.

“As we move towards potentially easing restrictions in the next few weeks and months, the ability to have efficient contact tracing arrangements in place will be absolutely critical in helping to continue curbing the spread of the coronavirus,” Mr McElduff added.