Track and Trace bullies

[Peter Miller]

Our club secretary has been laid low with Covid. His mother was whipped into hospital (She is OK now and ina care home until he recovers)

While he was alone at home and totally floored he kept getting repeated calls from Track and Trace demanding masses of information.

Needless to say while he was gasping for breath this was not helping. The kept phoning with atotal disregard of his state and even threatened him with a heavy fine for obstruction.

Anyone else had the ----------- after them? I won't mention what I consider their behavior to be like.

[Phil McCavity]

Why is he not in hospital if he is struggling to breath?

Track and trace have no idea what his state of health, just that he needs to be informed and advised as he has been in direct contact with a positive case.

Edited By Phil McCavity on 04/02/2021 17:00:38

[Peter Miller]

One of the symptoms of Covid is shortness of breath. IT is like very serious flu. Hospitalisation is the next stage. I am quite sure his doctor knows what he is doing.

Constant repeated phone calls while he is very ill and threats of fines is unreasonable.

He doesn't need to be advised that he has been in contact with a positive case. I would have thought that almost everyone would realise that it is pretty obvious to anyone that that is the case.

And surely trying to talk to him continuously and making repeated calls was unnecessary

[Gary Manuel]

I would imagine that Track and Trace would be trying to find out whether he has been in contact with anyone else, so that they can warn THEM. It sound like a very reasonable thing to do to me.

[Peter Miller]

And I am sure that he told them. but it seems that they wanted a lot more information. and constant repeated calls all day (He has a record on his mobile phone) does seem to be a little over the top.

He had picked it up at work were they had someone who had tested positive.

These are the relevant details.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Sadly, I believe that Track & Trace have found many people uncooperative and obstructive. Your friend seems to be a victim of the consequences of the lack of information forthcoming from these inconsiderate and selfish people.

Edited By Martin Harris - Moderator on 04/02/2021 19:26:10

[Peter Miller]

Probably true. We do seem to have an incredible number of total morons in this world. and in this country.

Unfortunately many of them will survive

[Phil McCavity]

Labelling them bullies is unfair, they're for our benefit to protect you and me from the risk of infection by trying to control the R rate. You are required by law to comply or receive a fine. If your friend is struggling to answer their questions they will see it and adapt by taking their time to make it easier for him as they do for other cases, there's no time penalty to answer the questions.

[Peter Miller]

Yes, well browbeating a sick man repeatedly does not sound like making it easier for him.

I know that he is NOT a person to magnify things like this.

[J D 8]

My youngest daughter who works as a assisted living unit carer had the covid at the end of last year. Caught from a fellow carer who caught it when he went to hospital for treatment of something non covid ! This despite being covered in PPE.

Track and trace were very insistent that she lived a separate life from her partner and two year old. Use another bedroom, that was possible. Use separate bathrooms, only one in house, separate kitchen, Hmm. Reality in touch with ? not.

Neither her partner [ who has Asma ] or two tear old daughter caught it, and after two rough weeks she has recovered well.

[Jon H]

I have to confess, i found the harassment from track and trace pretty hard to deal with when the boss at laser got it.

I knew i had to isoltate, i got my test, i did all the things i was supposed to but i was still bombarded with calls and txts. It made a bad situation worse, and while i know the NHS are under immense pressure, as an outsider it really did little but make me feel worse.

Fortunately my test was negative, but i still felt hounded.

[Peter Christy]

I seem to recall that track & trace has nothing directly to do with the health service or the government. It is yet another service was "outsourced" to one of the big consultancy outfits, who recruit unqualified drones on the minimum wage whilst trousering the profits. No wonder the victims are getting harassed!

The former head of track & trace, which initially failed so dismally that it had to be replaced by an Apple/Google de-centralised system, was rewarded for her failure by promoting her to head up the National Institute for Health Protection! You couldn't make it up! **LINK**

I seem to recall she was also in charge at Talk Talk when they suffered some monumental disasters.

Still, its not what you know, but who you know that matters.

Or am I just an old cynic?

--

Pete

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Wasn't there widespread criticism of Track & Trace being ineffective? I do see us as being in a situation that suspends normal sensibilities to some extent but while I have great sympathy with someone who is suffering badly and finding these contacts trying, I think we need to have a little tolerance for people tasked with an extremely difficult job.

[Phil McCavity]

Oh well, lets just ignore them and trust people to do their own thing......oh wait, we tried that!

Edit: Martin beat me by posting a much more succinct reply than mine.

Edited By Phil McCavity on 04/02/2021 22:39:34

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Dido. My lips are sealed.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

I think it's difficult, people are on the phones who've had little training, they're phoning people who're under stress, it'll go pear shaped at times.