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Drinkers at pubs and bars in England may have to leave their names and contact details in a guest book so they can be swiftly traced if they come into contact with a punter who tests positive for coronavirus. Officials are understood to be looking at the measure in order to fulfill the ambition of reopening the hospitality sector as early as July 4 and aid the NHS test and trace programme. Diners leaving their contact details at restaurants when making reservations could also play a role in helping tracers track down possible cases so they can self-isolate for 14 days.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday that no decision on the guest books had been made but said it was being considered, as well as customers being encouraged to order drinks through apps.

Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sky News, Mr Hancock said: “That’s the sort of thing we’re looking at for how do you make it safe to open things.

“And things like wearing a face mask which reduces the transmission clearly, about how the seating is arranged because face to face is much more dangerous than back to back and there’s more transmission than side to side.”

The proposal would enhance contact tracers’ ability to track down individuals who an infected person has come into contact with in order to isolate them and prevent further infections.

He later added on BBC’s Andrew Marr show: “This is something they’ve done in New Zealand and what happens is you simply ensure that when you take a restaurant booking.

“For instance, when somebody tests positive and have been in that venue in proximity you will be able to contact the people who might be at risk.”

Mr Hancock said England is “clearly on track” to further ease the coronavirus lockdown, with the hope pubs, restaurants and hairdressers could reopen as early as July 4.

He promised the next steps would be set out this week, along with any alteration to the two-metre social distancing guidance.

With the two-metre rule placing severe constraints on the hospitality sector, it looks increasingly likely to be reduced as long as other mitigations – such as face coverings – can be used to help prevent a second wave of COVID-19 infections.

Ministers believe that cases of coronavirus are sufficiently low after three months of lockdown that a greater reopening can take place in order to revive the ailing economy.

Mr Hancock told Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “We’re clearly on track for that plan because of the number of cases coming down, and the plan does refer to hospitality and some of the other things that are closed that so many people want to see open.”

Acknowledging that “a lot of the country does need a haircut”, he said that he is “not going to rule out” hairdressers and barbers also being able to reopen on July 4.

Later on The Andrew Marr Show, he said the Government will announce the results of a review into the two-metre rule, and the next step for the lockdown, this week.

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“I think we are about to see another step in the plan and this week we will announce further details of the measures that we can take to relieve some of the national lockdown measures at the start of July including on July 4,” he said on the BBC programme.

“We’re going to set out those details absolutely this week.”

He gave perspex screens, masks and altered seating arrangements as examples of measures to mitigate the risk of spreading coronavirus if the two-metre rule is changed.

And he floated the idea that punters at pubs and bars could have to sign a guest book with their names and contact details so they could be swiftly traced if they come into contact with an infection.

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