NHS Test and Trace misses 40% of contacts in a week - just above all-time low

The widely criticised NHS Test and Trace system is still failing to reach two in five coronavirus contacts and remains near a record low, new figures show. Of the 347,575 close contacts of someone who has tested positive in the week to November 18, only 60.3% were reached and told to self-isolate. This is down slightly from 60.7% in the previous week, and is also just above the all-time low of 60.1% for the week to October 14. It is well below the 80% target. Positive Covid-19 cases in England fell 9% in the latest week, the first week-on-week drop since the summer. For cases managed by local health protection teams, 99.0% of contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate in the week to November 18.