NHS Fife’s contact tracing teams have been working around the clock to ensure that confirmed COVID-19 cases are contact traced within current Scottish Government and World Health Organisation criteria of closing 80% of close contacts within 72 hours.
As case numbers increase across Fife, we are making changes to our Contact Tracing processes and encourage people to make use of the online form to ‘self-trace’ their contacts, if they test positive. This will allow our team to concentrate on higher risk settings.
It is vital that people keep testing. If they have any symptoms of COVID-19, they must arrange a PCR test. If they don’t have symptoms, a Lateral Flow Device test kit should be used. With one in three people with COVID-19 not having any symptoms, regular testing is vital to protect yourself and your family and friends. Test kits are free and can be delivered to your home or collected from any Fife pharmacy.
Dr Joy Tomlinson, Director of Public Health, NHS Fife
"Our Test and Protect team are doing fantastic work with high numbers of cases, but we all have a role to play to help. We are urging people who test positive to complete the details of their contacts using the online form provided to them with their test results.
“Our Test and Protect contact tracing team will still phone high risk or more complex cases. The online form will mean that low risk cases are processed automatically. This allows us to to ensure that our contact tracing system delivers maximum benefit as COVID-19 case numbers increase.
“I would also encourage anyone who has a smartphone to download the Protect Scotland App – if you test positive, you will receive a code that can be entered into the app, providing isolation notifications to people you have been in contact with.
“If you do test positive for COVID-19, you must follow the guidance and isolate properly. Self-isolation means 10 days at home, with no contact with anyone outside your household. You must not leave your home for any reason.
“ I appreciate how difficult this can be, especially now the school summer holidays have started, but if we all continue to play are part, adhere to the rules, follow the FACTS, and get fully vaccinated you are helping us to help you.”
All the latest information on the COVID-19 response in Fife, our PCR Community Testing facilities and local support available for those individuals or families having to self-isolate can be found at:
www.fife.gov.uk/covidassistance
with current national advice available at:
