New local Covid-19 Contact Tracing service

A local Covid-19 contact tracing system is now in operation to reach those Portsmouth residents the national service has been unable get hold of but who have tested positive and need to self-isolate. This will help to keep the infection rate throughout the city low and protect us all.

The service aims to increase the proportion of cases successfully traced, using alternative contact information from council sources if necessary. Local contact tracing services have been successfully trialled in other local authorities with results that showed people responded more readily to calls and call backs when a local team got in touch.

The service is being operated by Portsmouth City Council and operates Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm and, when needed, on Saturdays and Sundays between 10am and 3pm.

A Portsmouth area code telephone number is being used for these calls so if you receive a call this will show up on your mobile or in your missed calls log. To assure you the call you’ve received is not a scam, the number is 023 9268 7000.

Once they have made contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus, the Portsmouth contact tracing team will pass the case back to the national team, who continue with mapping and tracing those who’ve been in close contact with the person who tested positive, so that they can also self-isolate.

A step-by-step guide, and other useful coronavirus support information can be found online at http://portsmouth.gov.uk/contacttracing.