Track and trace breakdown?

Brendan Burgess

Brendan Burgess

Founder
Messages
52,204
Back in early March a guy who was at a meeting which I was at, later notified the rest of us that he had been tested positive.

That seemed obvious to me.

If I get confirmed with Covid, I will let my close contacts know. And I will probably go a bit beyond my close contacts too.

What am I missing? I have heard politicians saying that it's unreasonable to ask people who have been confirmed positive to notify their close contacts. Why is that unreasonable?

Brendan
 
I think there is a script that the tracers follow, to establish which of your contacts really need to get tested.
The issue with a 'lay' person notifying all the contacts is the demand it places on testing & local GPs.
If you notify your contacts I think they then have to go through local GP to arrange testing.

Also, could be wrong on this, I think the tracers played a role in setting up the tests for the contacts.
 
ps another side point on the breakdown of tracing is that it makes our current test figures a little unreliable in terms of week on week comparison
 
I think it is a great idea to get people to contact their close contacts. They will have a better chance of not missing anyone. From what I hear it can take a week for the HSE to contact people.
 
Hi Odyssey

After my friend got Covid, I rang my doctor.

He went through things with me and reckoned I should have a test. So he put me into the system.

I self-isolated.

Then the criteria were changed and I was told I would not have a test.

That didn't put a huge burden on the doctor or the system.

Brendan
 
Where are the rules regarding who is tracked and traced set out?

A month ago, a close contact of mine got Covid - I'd like to understand why I was not tracked and traced? How do we know the success of contact tracing? What does the data say? What percentage of contacts have, like me, not been contacted?
 
Brendan Burgess said:
He went through things with me and reckoned I should have a test. So he put me into the system.
I self-isolated.
Then the criteria were changed and I was told I would not have a test.
That didn't put a huge burden on the doctor or the system.
Brendan
Click to expand...

As an isolated case, not a great burden. Multiply it by 1000 people by all their contacts and it is a load.
They changed the criteria at the peak of first wave because the system was overloaded with more people (many of whom should have been tested) than they could handle.
 
MaxGordon said:
Where are the rules regarding who is tracked and traced set out?
A month ago, a close contact of mine got Covid - I'd like to understand why I was not tracked and traced? How do we know the success of contact tracing? What does the data say? What percentage of contacts have, like me, not been contacted?
Click to expand...

This is the HSE information on close v casual contacts.

I understand there's a lot of concerns re: schools, if the kids were wearing masks they are not being considered as close contacts even if they were in the same class for hours.
As someone who is pro-mask, I think that is presuming too much about their capabilities.
They are not effective PPE where you are spending hours in same room as an infected person.

www2.hse.ie

If you are a close contact of COVID-19

Find out what you need to do if you're a close contact of a person that tests positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus).
www2.hse.ie www2.hse.ie
 
But surely if they contact their doctor could he or she not just give them a ref number to go to a test centre. That would take pressure off them
 
Thanks odyssey06,

Interestingly, I have the app and didn't hear anything from either official channels?

What's the data saying here?
 
MaxGordon said:
Thanks odyssey06,
Interestingly, I have the app and didn't hear anything from either official channels?
What's the data saying here?
Click to expand...

I haven't seen stats on % of followups. It is very strange you didn't receive a followup through either channel, as it predates the breakdown of the tracing. In your shoes I would like to know whether I had it or not.
 
Of course, I got tested. I needed to know.

My only point here is to understand how leaky the system is.

Maybe my situation is the exception, maybe not - who knows?
 
I had mild symptoms and a GP organised my test.

The central point regarding the extent of leaks remains....
 
Brendan Burgess said:
Hi Odyssey

After my friend got Covid, I rang my doctor.

He went through things with me and reckoned I should have a test. So he put me into the system.

I self-isolated.

Then the criteria were changed and I was told I would not have a test.

That didn't put a huge burden on the doctor or the system.

Brendan
Click to expand...
I love the talk about placing a massive burden on the GP.
You call your GP, they get €40 for taking the call. If you are not symptomatic they got €40 for 3 minutes on the phone. If you are then they got €40 for 3 minutes on the phone and then someone who get €16-20 an hour spending 10 minutes on the phone. The input from the GP is still negligible.
 
Purple said:
I love the talk about placing a massive burden on the GP.
You call your GP, they get €40 for taking the call. If you are not symptomatic they got €40 for 3 minutes on the phone. If you are then they got €40 for 3 minutes on the phone and then someone who get €16-20 an hour spending 10 minutes on the phone. The input from the GP is still negligible.
Click to expand...

I'd love to know where you are in Ireland that has GPs with lots of time on their hands.
A couple of calls = an appointment they could have had with another patient, something which only they can do.
GPs in my area are flat out as it is.
Dealing with e.g. a GAA club cluster would be a burden that would impact their ability to deal with other patients and best handled by dedicated contract tracers yes.
 
odyssey06 said:
I'd love to know where you are in Ireland that has GPs with lots of time on their hands.
A couple of calls = an appointment they could have had with another patient, something which only they can do.
GPs in my area are flat out as it is.
Dealing with e.g. a GAA club cluster would be a burden that would impact their ability to deal with other patients and best handled by dedicated contract tracers yes.
Click to expand...
Maybe they should work a 39 hour week?
See Section 2 of this report which highlights the downright lies that the ICGP tells about working hours and workload. The notion that GP's are all working 50-60 hours a week and are at breaking point is pure fantasy. A GP can hire any number of locum doctors to work for them. Those doctors can see medical card and private patients. You can have a proctologist looking down your neck or a ENT doctor looking up your backside.
Don't get me wrong, most GP's are great and do a good job. Many work long hours and are doing their best to provide a good service. In that they are like everyone else.
 
Last edited:
Not that many but if there is a week or two week delay trying to remember ,when I have to remember, might pose a problem for some people even me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top