BUSINESSES are urged to take part in the NHS Track and Trace service which is now mandatory and they are asked to be ready for the roll-out of a Covid-19 advice app.

Allerdale Borough Council has joined public health partners in urging businesses to be aware of new legal requirements around collecting data and have printed QR code posters for the NHS Track and Trace app.

Colin Cox’s, Cumbria’s Director of Public Health said: “The new app has huge potential to help the fight against Covid-19 and it is essential that local businesses covered by the new regulations move quickly to get their QR code posters downloaded and displayed and ensure that their manual systems for logging customer contact details are robust. The fines for not doing so are significant and working with partners we will be taking a proactive approach to ensuring businesses are complying with the law."

Jo Lappin, chief executive of Cumbria LEP, said: “I would strongly encourage all of our businesses to comply with the new regulations and display the NHS Test and Trace QR code poster to help people easily ‘check in’ on their arrival.

“The last thing that our businesses need at this time is a large fine for not complying with the new rules, when most have just got back on their feet." Cumbrian businesses have responded exceptionally well to our call to protect their businesses by protecting their customers and their staff by operating in a Covid-Secure way.