Am I bad for having never downloaded the NHS covid app?

[Barbaraan]

I realise with all this talk of the NHS app that I have never downloaded it - I didnt realise that I should?

I have always provided name and address when asked in restaurants, pubs etc but havent had the app running generally.

I guess I like to think that I'm fairly safe - I have been working from home since Jan and interacting with partner who goes to work and children at school and a few occasions interacting with parents in law and parents. My only interaction with others is at the supermarket several times a week.

Have I been irresponsible or just managed the risk appropriately? If everyone isnt doing it what is the point of anyone doing it?

I never did.
My phone storage is for sacred things like pictures of the dog and thousands of sunsets, not a million apps.

Never bothered with it. I don't want to be contacted. Many people can't afford to be off work. Same goes for the government phoning me up when I had it to tell them who I'd been in contact with. Those that needed to know I told myself, perfectly healthy individuals do not want their lives put on hold and can make their own informed choices.

By the same token, I'm sure thousands of kids did, despite being told not to by school.

The app is not reliable, so I deleted it.

I never downloaded it, I wasn’t averse to doing so but my phone is too old.

FindingMeno thousands of kids did what?

@Cavalierqueen

We have a great app where I live. Yes it does drain the battery but just charge more often. Without gold status showing you are vaccinated, or green showing you are clear if you can't be vaccinated, you can't enter shopping malls or any public area. Vaccine refuses have to have a PCR less than 7 days old, also in the app. I don't get the fuss if the app is good, but then I also don't believe I will be a robot when 5g kicks in 😂

Black mirror irl. Horrifying.

@shrunkenhead downloaded the app.

I think I was the only person I know that downloaded it. It's well deleted now!

I don't have a smart phone either. no apps. no nothing. I am quite out of touch with most things!

My phone is too old so never had it.

I also can’t get the NHS app, but as I might need that to show my status, I’ll probably have to upgrade in the near future.

@FindingMeno I didn't know the teachers had told them not to download it. Although it makes sense as means millions of kids off for no reason.
I just told my dd to not have too many friends, thus reducing the likelihood of her being a "close contact"! (It was said in jest!) Failing that come up with a pact so they all agree to mention as few potential CCs as possible to minimise disruption to education.

I downloaded it, realised it was a bluetooth app with inaccurate location methods so deleted it.

Bluetooth goes through walls so unless you live in a detached house with a large front & back gardens then if your neighbour or someone who has waited in their vehicle in front of your house with the app catches Covid then you will be pinged if your phone has been near by.

@Cavalierqueen

I guess that's why cases are so high 🤔

Cases are “so high” because they are testing too many people.

Where I live we never had any form of contact tracing and our cases - and deaths - are less than half that of the UK on a per 100,000 people basis.

Deleted it. I'm not going to self isolate because my phone happened to pass another phone, as I only get paid if I go to work, and can't afford to not go. I'm over this.

Phone too old.

Household with 5 adults here - 4 either don't have a phone or it's too old. The one who has a phone able to download the app hasn't.

I deleted it three weeks after my second jab, on the basis that a double-jabbed person self-isolating would be completely pointless waste of time.

I don't have it either and now, like a previous poster said, I pretend to check in when I can get away with it. Otherwise I sign the book.

I got that tip after going on a date with a surgeon who did the same thing at the pub we went to. I thought if he doesn't bother with a responsible job like that why should I.

I don't want to be told to isolate.. I would if it was someone I knew who had tested positive, but not a random app telling me what to do. Reading everyone's stories here has just confirmed I made the right choice.

At this point in time, I really could not give a gnats knacker.

@Cavalierqueen

I guess that's why cases are so high 🤔

Cases are so high because they are pointlessly testing millions of children & students, almost all of whom are not, and never were, at any risk from Covid.

Nope. My phone is ancient, and even if it could handle the app, I still would not use it. From what I have seen, it causes no end of anxiety for people who do have it. No thanks.

I had it but essentially it's pointless for me. I haven't been inside any relevant venues for a year, haven't been on public transport and am currently living alone. So self-isolation would simply mean continuing with my normal life.

@Parttimemostofthetime

I've never had it. I've only been somewhere where they ask you to sign in twice and both times I just pretended to

Lots of people can't run the app anyway but pretending to sign in or giving false information is another matter. I'd hope that people would at least be responsible enough to give their correct details but Mumsnet has demonstrated that there are a lot of liars out there.

They couldn't finalise my app without me having photo ID (which I don't have, as I don't drive and I don't have a passport), or me having to jump though various hoops with my Drs surgery etc. I am too ill and bedridden to bother with doing that for my occassional trip outside.

No. I follow all the covid rules, got my vaccines ASAP and I’m not being held prisoner by an app on my phone.