Direct contact procedures (FOI)

Request

When I was recently tested positive in a PCR I was sent an email specifying the legal conditions for self-isolation and its duration. I was later telephoned several days later by a very polite employee, who went over that and also said he had to tell me the legal obligations over the telephone as well as it being in the email.
A

Contact Tracing and Deaf Community

As someone with a number of contacts in Jersey's deaf community, I wondered what the alternative arrangements (he didn't know) would be in place for someone who was completely deaf and unable to use a telephone, and who would therefore be unable to (1) take a telephone call from the contact tracing team and (2) be unable to hear anything which apparently was a legal requirement for the tracing team to make over the phone. Please could you advise the protocols for this, and why there is nothing on the government website advising how deaf people can make known they need a different means of contact - and how this will be done.

B

Different Instructions in Email and from Contact Tracing

I was also not asked for any direct contacts despite the email I had earlier which said: "Once they have spoken with you, the Covid Safe team will be in touch with your Direct Contacts via text message and email, to confirm they are a Direct Contact." Instead, I was given a reference number and email DClist@gov.je to email with direct contacts details for the team. Are the contact tracing team aware that the email sent out clearly needs adjusting?
Are there plans to change the instructions on how tracing direct contacts are made?

C

Direct Contacts and Lateral Flow Test

While I was at the harbour I mentioned direct contacts and Lateral flow tests and was told that they needed to get a set of tests via the website if they were short for the 10 days testing as they were no longer handing them out at the harbour site. The polite person from contact tracing told me that my direct contacts would get a text message and be able to get them from the harbour. Please can you update me on which the real situation is now?

Response

A

The Covid Safe Team do not have access to information about whether an individual is deaf, or has sight impairment. At the time of the Freedom of Information request, the process was as follows: the Team contact positive individuals in writing and over the phone, in order to try to ensure contact is made through one of these communications routes. A positive individual is first contacted by email and/or text message. The email advises the positive individual to contact their Direct Contacts if they feel able to do so. The Covid Safe Team telephone the individual in the days following their positive result, but if their call is not answered, they email the individual and request information in writing.

The Government website notes that individuals can telephone or email the Coronavirus helpline for advice, and the helpline also has SignVideo availability.

Coronavirus helpline (freephone) (gov.je)

Please note that, on 28 January, Ministers announced that this population-wide contact tracing would cease from 7 February 2022. Thereafter, individuals are asked to contact those who would be their Direct Contacts themselves.

B

As at 1 February 2022, the Covid Safe Team contact every positive individual in the days following their positive result. The positive individual is asked to identify their Direct Contacts. From 7 February 2022, individuals are asked to contact those who would be their Direct Contacts themselves.

C 

Islanders are strongly encouraged to register for home Lateral Flow testing, and to test themselves at least twice per week. For home testing, test kits are posted free of charge to the individuals' home address. In the event that and individual is identified as a Direct Contact, they should therefore have Lateral Flow kits at home. If an individual is identified as a Direct Contact but does not have sufficient (or any) Lateral Flow kits at home, they can collect 10 Lateral Flow kits from the Harbour between 10am and 4pm every day, upon proof that they have been identified as a Direct Contact.