A two-week pilot of tracing technology is set to get underway as the Scottish Government looks to roll out its test, trace and isolate strategy.

Lanarkshire, Fife and Highland health boards are to be the first to trial tracing software – the first step in moving towards an extended test, trace, isolate and support approach designed to keep covid-19 transmission low as the country moves out of lockdown.

From tomorrow the three health boards will start testing the technology contact tracers will use to collect the information that they need digitally.

The Scottish Government has said it may need to recruit or retrain as many as 2,000 people to contact tracing roles and that it hope the software will be rolled out to all health boards by the end of the month.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Technology will be an important tool to help us move towards the test, trace, isolate and support approach and safely exit lockdown.  

“The software we are developing in Scotland is built on a tried and trusted platform and will allow us to carry out contact tracing on a much larger scale than has been necessary until now.

“It will also focus on supporting public health teams identify outbreaks and reduce transmission in high risk groups and settings by making it easier for staff to collect and record information.”

If an individual tests positive for covid-19, contact tracers will track down anyone they have been in close contact with and ask them to self-isolate for 14 days to try to reduce the risak of them spreading the virus.

Ms Freeman added: “The test, trace, isolate and support approach is about breaking the chain of transmission of the virus but it remains vital that alongside this people continue to follow physical distancing advice and practise good hand and cough hygiene.”

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