Track and Trace system launches in Milton Keynes with £1m government funding

The newly announced funding will help local communities develop and action plans to reduce the spread of coronavirus in case of potential localised outbreaks.

NHS Track and Trace is vital in slowing the spread of the coronavirus and ensuring the virus can be controlled where regional outbreaks occur.

Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North, said: “This extra money for Milton Keynes will be hugely important in containing the virus if there is an increase in cases locally.

“It will support the council to work with Public Health England and contact tracers to focus on the containment of outbreaks, but Test and Trace also requires personal responsibility. If you are asked to self-isolate by one of the contact tracers, please do so.”

Cllr Alex Walker, the Conservative Group leader on MK Council, said: “It is great to see further Government funding for MK Council on top of the £138 million already provided. This additional support will ensure Milton Keynes is at the forefront of responding and managing the outbreak at a local level and be able to target Covid hotspots before they spread.”

The NHS Covid-19 app is downloaded from Apple or Google app stores and then users enable it to use Bluetooth feature on their smartphone.

If an individual later reports that they are positive for coronavirus, it will then ping a message to people who have been in close-contact with them in the past 28 days based on their anonymous IDs.

The app will recommend those people self-isolate in case they have contracted the disease. Those contacted won't know the identity of the person who may have passed on coronavirus.

If the person then takes a test and tests negative, they may be released from their self-isolation by a notification through the app.