From today, it is illegal not to isolate if you've been asked to by Test and Trace. Fines go up to £10,000
I've got hold of the document - marked OFFICIAL SENSITIVE - with the changes to contact tracers' scripts
Change 1: contact tracers will have to ask for people's addresses
Change 2: they will have to stress the change to the law
This might seem not seem much but it's causing some unease. One Test and Trace source says "it makes it feel quite different" - more like enforcement
The source adds (1/2)
"If you want to get people to give you good contact tracing information (or any) then you have to build rapport...
...Asking for personal information about where you are isolating and saying we will snitch on you if we think you're not doing it can easily come across as the COVID police. It's supposed to be based on the principle of consent" (2/2)
Obviously there is a real need to get people to self-isolate and these measures are designed to do just that. Hopefully this worry is needless - worth keeping an eye on though / ENDS
For all the concerns - many legitimate - about the new punishments for breaking self-isolation, it's worth remembering that not having any is very unusual. In Germany, for instance, you can be fined up to €25,000 (although I understand enforcement is very spotty)
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