Residents of Milton Keynes who test positive for COVID-19 will now be contacted by a local contact tracing hub following the success of a pilot project set up by Central Bedfordshire Council earlier this year.
Milton Keynes Council, which operates a shared public health service with Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough, has commissioned the service which begins from this week.
The Contact Tracing Hub is notified of positive cases of COVID-19 just an hour after a positive test. Previously, it could take up to three days for the local team to receive cases. This allows the local team to offer immediate support and ensure residents can self-isolate safely.
Director of Public Health for Milton Keynes, Vicky Head, said: “We’re working really hard to help control the spread of this virus and this localised test and trace system has proven to be very effective.
If you’ve tested positive, please remember that our team will be trying to call you. No-one will get into trouble by sharing information about who you’ve been in close contact with, but it can help us alert anyone that may have picked up the virus.”