LONDON, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- People who have been told to self-isolate through the test and trace system of Britain's National Health Service (NHS) could have their contact details shared with the British police, local media has reported.

The British Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed that police forces will have access "on a case-by-case" basis to information, enabling them to know if an individual has been told to self-isolate, the Sky News reported.

People who fail to self-isolate "without reasonable justification" could have their name, address and contact details passed on to their local authority and then to the police, the DHSC's website said.

"This may lead to enforcement action being taken against you, which could include you being fined," said the online guidance updated Friday.

Meanwhile, the Health Service Journal, a news service which covers policy and management in the NHS in England, reported that the office of England's chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, feared the move would put people off from being tested.

People in England are legally required to self-isolate if they test positive for COVID-19.

Those who fail to do so face fines starting at 1,000 pounds (about 1,290.2 U.S. dollars) and increasing up to 10,000 pounds (about 12,902 dollars) for repeat offenders or serious breaches, the DHSC said.

To bring life back to normal, countries, such as Britain, China, Russia and the United States, are racing against time to develop coronavirus vaccines. Enditem

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