At a WHO media briefing on Covid-19 in March, director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “Tracing every contact must be the backbone of the response in every country.”

Contact tracing is also used to prepare to tackle any outbreaks when the lockdown is eased, since “once we let ourselves out again, we will see more transmission again,” he said.

Anthony Costello, professor of global health and sustainable development at University College London, said giving up on it was a mistake. “You still need to do it,” he said, highlighting regions where infection numbers were relatively small. “In low-intensity areas you could ramp up your testing … use all your people to jump on it.”

Lockdown cannot be reversed until everyone who has been exposed to COVID-19 either in the NHS or essential businesses has been identified and isolated.

The graphic illustrates COVID-19 testing priority also be given to those who maybe exposed to the virus in essential businesses (Supermarkets/Takeaways/Newsagents) as they come into contact with hundreds of products and/or people daily.

It is imperative that contact tracing begins immediately to prevent continuous rise in the number of cases/deaths and to ultimately eradicate the spread of the virus!