Nuffield Trust: Expensive test and trace system could never work without proper self-isolation support

In response to the Public Accounts Committee report on the NHS Test and Trace system, Nuffield Trust Senior Fellow Dr Billy Palmer said:

“The promise of a world-beating test and trace system has just not materialised, and the eye-watering sums of public money poured into this system are set to increase even further.

“While we have to acknowledge this huge system has come from a standing start and has improved much along the way, an estimated third of contacts, potentially exposed to the virus, are still being missed. Changing definitions of a ‘contact’ and missing information, including the numbers who do go on to self-isolate, mean it is hard to measure this system’s effectiveness.

“Despite the rapid roll-out of vaccines, new variants will mean a test and trace system will remain a tool to return to normality. But test, trace and isolate could never work unless people can and are supported to self-isolate when they need to. Over 80% of people self-isolating with symptoms are estimated to have broken isolation. Selected support payments have not proved sufficient, so unless this question of broader support is addressed, test and trace will remain an expensive leaky system.”