Contact tracing has been deemed the most effective method for getting regions like Greater Manchester back on their feet and out of lockdown.
The NHS track and trace system launched today without the 'track and trace' app - a digital tracing system currently being trialled on the Isle of Wight.
The app is expected to go live across the rest of the UK in June, provided the pilot is successful. Greater Manchester has already launched its own track and trace system to work with in tandem with the national scheme.
Until the app is ready, the government is urging people to follow the manual track and trace system as part of a wider effort to minimise the spread of coronavirus.