Coronavirus: Boris Johnson announces test and trace system will launch tomorrow

People will be asked to isolate for 14 days if they come into contact with someone infected with coronavirus - even if they do not have symptoms, Boris Johnson has announced.

The new NHS test and trace programme will launch on Thursday across England, involving an army of 25,000 contact tracers and an additional 25,000 people working to process tests.

Tracers will hunt down anyone who has been within two metres of an infected person for more than 15 minutes without protective equipment.

These people will be contacted and asked to isolate at home for a fortnight. The government does not plan to fine those who refuse to obey the isolation order but ministers do have the power to sanction people if necessary.

An NHS app – currently be trialled on Isle of Wight – that aims to alert individuals after they have come in contact with an infected person, however, is expected to be launched at a later date.

Similar measures viewed as vital to reducing the transmission rate of Covid-19 have already been introduced in countries such as Singapore and Germany.

Earlier, the chief executive of NHS providers Chris Hopson said healthcare professionals would like “dots to be joined up” with the government’s track and trace plan.

“I think what we’re saying here is we are about to enter a dangerous phase, but if we haven’t got the track, test and isolate infrastructure in place, and if we’ve got confidence and trust in the guidelines start to reduce, that feels to us to be really quite a dangerous position,” he said.

"So if I was one of those select committee chairman, I would be asking the question - Prime Minister, given we're not going to have the world-class test and trace in by June 1, when will it be available?

"How can you restore the trust and confidence in the social distancing guidelines that has been lost over the last four days, given that we are entering this dangerous phase?"

Asked why the government's system would not be world class, Mr Hopson said "we need to build local test and trace capacity and that is simply not going to be in place".

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