Workers told to stop car sharing as test and trace system reveals it is spreading coronavirus
Company workers are being urged to stop car sharing to prevent the spread of coronavirus cases in Shropshire.
Public health chiefs in Telford & Wrekin are advising businesses to warn employees about the transmission risks after the borough's own special hub test and trace system picked up positive cases linked to commuters sharing lifts.
The issue has come to light after a number of large employers used the form to notify the council of any positive tests within their workforce.
In a statement Telford & Wrekin health protection hub said: “From our work with borough employers (on implementing Covid secure measures), we had a number of cases where we’ve seen that car sharing is playing a part in Covid transmission within workplaces.
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"We urge employers to advise their staff that if possible car sharing should be avoided.
"If a car sharing can’t be avoided, then those sharing should wear face coverings and should have windows open to increase ventilation.
"We are asking employers to notify our council of any positive staff members within their workforce by using this test and trace form. They don’t have to be Telford residents.”
Changes
The borough council set up a special health protection hub four months ago to ensure good contact with employers to discuss Covid-19 secure measures and have been advising about its own tracing notification online form.
The successful system allows members of the hub to act quickly contact and trace all those affected.
They are also able to discuss the ongoing controls within the workplace, suggest changes or improvements and carry out site visits if required.
The service said swift contact tracing and isolating of contacts is an important part of getting the disease under control.
Data shows here has been a slight increase in the success of tracking and tracing in Shropshire, with the county the best performing area in the West Midlands region.
No new Covid-19 deaths have been reported by the county's hospital trusts. It means the total for Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust is now 227, Shropshire Community Health Trust 15 and five at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital near Oswestry. There have also been no new hospital coronavirus deaths in Powys where the total remains at 100.
The government’s track and trace system has received considerable criticism since its introduction. Nationally, it has continued to struggle to reach much more than 60 per cent of the close contacts of those who have tested positive for the virus.
Data from the Department for Health and Social care shows 2,726, who tested positive for Covid-19 in Shropshire were transferred to the Test and Trace service between May 28 and November 4.
In Telford & Wrekin 1,909 have had their cases passed to the service since it began.
