Coronavirus: Long-delayed NHS app will not be able to do contact-tracing

[Bruce Stephens]

NHS coronavirus app will carry out contact-tracing, government admits - hours after saying it would not

The app will finally be launched on Thursday – four months late – but No 10 sparked confusion over its purpose

www.independent.co.uk

 

[grovesy]

There are reports on radio saying differnt departments in government are contradicting each other on whether it will of won't.
I saw some committe meeting mfrom last week where one of the participants suggested it would contact trace, even opened on their phone.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

There are reports on radio saying differnt departments in government are contradicting each other on whether it will of won't.
I saw some committe meeting mfrom last week where one of the participants suggested it would contact trace, even opened on their phone.

Indeed, here's another story saying it will do contact tracing:

Contact-tracing app for England and Wales 'hampered by loss of public trust'

Summer of UK government scandals will reduce take-up of Covid-19 app, says expert

www.theguardian.com

 

[mikeyB]

Who cares? I won't download it, I never come within 2m of any strangers, apart from the chiropodist who wears a mask and gloves. The government have to get 60% of the population to use it to be of any use. That means 60% of the population have to have smartphones, which they don't in the age 65+ vulnerable group. And how long have you to be in dangerous contact with someone else before it activates?

You could, I suppose, make it a legal requirement, which would fun. It's neither use nor ornament in Scotland, where contact tracing works effectively anyway.

In any event, I expect the data all goes to a central database, which will notify folk if they have to isolate for a fortnight. Aye, right.

 

[grovesy]

The Scots have got an app they have had for few weeks.

 

[Northerner]

Who cares? I won't download it, I never come within 2m of any strangers, apart from the chiropodist who wears a mask and gloves. The government have to get 60% of the population to use it to be of any use. That means 60% of the population have to have smartphones, which they don't in the age 65+ vulnerable group. And how long have you to be in dangerous contact with someone else before it activates?

You could, I suppose, make it a legal requirement, which would fun. It's neither use nor ornament in Scotland, where contact tracing works effectively anyway.

In any event, I expect the data all goes to a central database, which will notify folk if they have to isolate for a fortnight. Aye, right.

I'm getting quite annoyed at the way the UK government seem to think that everyone has a smart phone that they carry with them everywhere. The latest annoyance is all this business about using QR codes for various reasons. I have a smartphone, but I don't routinely carry it around with me, and as Mike says, a not-inconsiderable proportion of the population don't have them, yet they never seem to mention what alternatives are available for people to access services etc.

 

[Robin]

I'm getting quite annoyed at the way the UK government seem to think that everyone has a smart phone that they carry with them everywhere. The latest annoyance is all this business about using QR codes for various reasons. I have a smartphone, but I don't routinely carry it around with me, and as Mike says, a not-inconsiderable proportion of the population don't have them, yet they never seem to mention what alternatives are available for people to access services etc.

We ate out at a pub recently. It’s at the bottom of a hill in the next village. It trumpeted the QR code thingy on its website, (no problem, I thought, our son is with us and he has a smart phone). When we got there, they were using old fashioned pen and paper, since nobody can get a mobile signal at the pub!
Our local campsite cafe now has the QR code, but with a little notice stuck next to it, saying that if you don’t have a smartphone, tell them when you order and they will take your details manually. They know their midweek/termtime clientele, mainly the retired from the village, who walk the half hour up to the cafe, have coffee, and then walk back, as their daily constitutional.

 

[grovesy]

We ate out at a pub recently. It’s at the bottom of a hill in the next village. It trumpeted the QR code thingy on its website, (no problem, I thought, our son is with us and he has a smart phone). When we got there, they were using old fashioned pen and paper, since nobody can get a mobile signal at the pub!
Our local campsite cafe now has the QR code, but with a little notice stuck next to it, saying that if you don’t have a smartphone, tell them when you order and they will take your details manually. They know their midweek/termtime clientele, mainly the retired from the village, who walk the half hour up to the cafe, have coffee, and then walk back, as their daily constitutional.

We can't get a signal in our large Sainsbury's, that is fairly central. I know when I worked at the local hospital there were parts of the site you could not get a signal.
I until recently did not have the QR code reader enabled on my phone, I have never needed.