To ask the Minister of Health when the scientific evidence demonstrating the public health considerations which led to the abandonment of contact tracing in Northern Ireland on 12 March 2020 will be published.

In line with the rest of the UK, the PHA were conducting rigorous contact tracing for all cases of COVID-19 until the 12th March 2020.

On the 12th March, the UK moved from the containment phase to the delay phase. The focus of our efforts then shifted from individual contact tracing to wider measures, including advising all of the public what to do if they had symptoms, prevention of spread, and social distancing.

The rationale underpinning the change in approach from the containment to the delay phase was based on sound public health principles as it recognised that there was widespread community transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The application of rigorous social distancing measures effectively superseded contact tracing during this ‘delay’ phase of our pandemic response.

Scientific evidence in relation to the early stages of the epidemic is contained within the papers of SAGE which are available via https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response