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AIBU?

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To not trust the accuracy of the test and trace app

4 replies

Whatafustercluck · 27/12/2020 10:11

Downloaded it dutifully when it came out, have used to check into places. We went into tier 4 before Christmas, so I've had no close encounters, with anyone, for some time since the only places I've been going are outdoors for walks well away from others, or to the shop for food. One person I know has had Covid back in November (he's fine now) and the only other people I've been anywhere near are close family - again, outdoors and only for a few minutes when dropping/ receiving presents at significant distance. My family is not huge, and none of them have either been tested for Covid or had any symptoms. On Christmas Day we had my immediate family, all members of my existing household, plus one other person (a friend who is in a bubble with us, who likewise hasn't seen anyone for months and gets checked anyway because she works for the NHS - from home as it's an admin role).

Clearly I've not been going to pubs, restaurants or anywhere else as they're all closed. Ds broke up from school on 18th and we've had just one notification from them of a possible case which was subsequently confirmed to have been negative.

Yesterday I got an alert telling me to isolate for 5 days.

Aibu to think that whatever algorithm it uses must have the risk bar set particularly low. I'm going stir crazy at home and cannot now even go out for a walk for another 4 days.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 27/12/2020 10:44

So your contact was about 5 days ago?

The 15 minutes within 2 metres is cumulative so you could have several encounters that add up to that amount of time

Whatafustercluck · 27/12/2020 13:50

@dementedpixie is that how they work it out - within 2 metres for 15 minutes? Then the only way for that to have happened would have been a total stranger to have been within 2 metres periodically while food shopping.

OP posts:
CrochetOrBust · 27/12/2020 14:10

Do you have neighbours? I always wonder whether the app would be able to tell if there was a brick wall in between phones...

fiftiesmum · 27/12/2020 14:34

If I remember correctly it is up to 2 metres for 15 minutes (can be made of 3 periods of 5 minutes) or 2 to 4 metres for 30 minutes (again can be split).
It is possible for the blue tooth signal to pass through walls, Windows and heavy curtains which the virus can't. NHS staff are told to turn blue tooth off at work as can be working with infected patients but full ppe in place (plus tested twice weekly and even daily in some circumstances).
I decided to uninstall the app for now as no cafes and venues open so don't need it to register entry.

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