Boris Johnson defends ‘test and trace’ scheme as coronavirus cases near 3 lakh

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on June 3, defended the new “test and trace system'' designed to curb the second wave of COVID-19 in the UK, international media reported. Previously, the country's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had advocated the new system calling it the "right step". Meanwhile, the latest tally from John Hopkins University stated that there were currently 2,81,270 cases out of which had 39,811 died across the British Territory.

Speaking at a news briefing, Johnson revealed that thousands of people were currently isolating, who wouldn't have been if the system had not been launched. However, he did not give any exact figures which prompted critics to reckon if the scheme was launched to divert attention from the Cummings case. Meanwhile, many workers have claimed that they weren't highly trained and that was doing nothing.

The test and trace system

The system, launched last week, uses nearly 25,000 tracers to contact people who might have been exposed to the virus. According to reports anybody with the risk of infection is supposed to self isolate for a period of 14 days. With its innovative system, the British government aims to trace the contacts of 10,000 people in a single day.

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Meanwhile, pressure on the Boris Johnson led government has intensified amid surging coronavirus cases and the recent protests about George Floyd's death. Commenting on the coronavirus situation in the nation, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, last week, reportedly said that if there would be an uptick in any particular locality or setting, then the British authorities have got the ability to take targeted measures. Elaborating further, he stressed that the UK had made progress with the number of new cases and those critically ill falling with each passing day. He then added that in case the COVID-19 cases surged, “further restrictive measures” would be imposed. 

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