Coronavirus: Cafes and pubs will collect customers' contact details

3 July 2020, 07:37

Pubs and other businesses are set to reopen on Saturday. Picture: PA

By EJ Ward

Cafes, restaurants, and bars are set to collect contact details of customers to help NHS contact tracers track possible Covid-19 infections.

Businesses across the hospitality industry will throw open their doors on Saturday after more than 3 months on lockdown due to coronavirus.

Customers will return to a different landscape as businesses carry out temperature checks and record punters' name and phone numbers.

Government guidance published on Thursday details the efforts venues will need to take to assist the NHS test and trace programme.

It is hoped the move will help suppress any Covid-19 outbreak by making it easier for tracers to track down anyone who may have been in contact with an infected person.

But the move is not mandatory and customers can refuse to give their details, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

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NHS Test and Trace executive chair Baroness Harding said: "The virus has not gone, but we can live more safely alongside it. As we all start to visit more places and come into contact with a wider group of people in the coming weeks, we now need businesses and the public to play their part in this new national effort by sharing their contact details.

"That way, if someone does test positive our dedicated team at NHS test and trace can quickly spring-into-action to contact those who may be at risk and advise them to self-isolate, helping everyone stay safe."

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Museums, zoos and theme parks will also be among the firms asked to record visitors' arrival and departure time alongside their contact details for 21 days before safely deleting the details.

When dealing with a group, the businesses will be just asked to take the details of the lead member who can then inform the rest of the group if a contact tracer gets in touch.

If individuals are told by tracers that they have been in contact with a person who has tested positive for Covid-19, they are asked to self-isolate at home for 14 days.