The number of coronavirus contact tracers in England is set to be slashed - just as the prime minister prepares to announce a loosening of lockdown, according to leaked messages obtained by Sky News.
Test and Trace staff have been told that the workforce would be reduced "as a result of the decreasing levels of prevalence" of COVID-19 across the country, even though internal messages admit that cases are likely to increase after lockdown is lifted.
It is not known how many coronavirus contact tracers will be let go, but the message said the move would affect "a large number" of so-called Tier 3 contact tracers.
The contact tracers are employed on two-week rolling contracts by outsourcing giants Serco and Sitel, which manage the call centre aspects of the much-criticised Test and Trace operation.
They have been told that they will find out on 1 March whether or not they will be fired. Their contracts will then last until 8 March.
This comes after medically qualified Tier 2 contact tracers were told that their shifts would be cut by 10% earlier this week, according to a leaked email seen by Sky News.
However, the email assured Tier 2 contact tracers that they would still have work, saying: "As we move out of lockdown the expectation is that case volumes may increase again, although the hope is obviously not to the same levels we saw in January pre-lockdown."
Boris Johnson is set to announce his roadmap for relaxing restrictions on Monday. It has been widely reported that schools will go back in early March, at which point it is expected that contacts in the population will increase.
Experts questioned the timing of the move.
"It seems odd to me," said Dr Simon Clarke, professor of virology at the University of Reading.
"It's inevitable that as restrictions are lifted there will be upward pressure on R and infection numbers and they will be needed to react to that."
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