"Pingdemic"

[MostlyMaple]

Forgive me if I am wrong, or being naive or whatever.

But surely if everyone deleted the NHS tracking app, the "pingdemic" we're currently in would subside?

Ready to hear I'm being unreasonable but it's just a thought if we want life to resume back to normal as quick as possible.

*OF

@JordanPickford you're so hostile. I'm allowed to post what I want. It's a public forum, right? have a lovely evening.

@jgw1 😂 imagine Boris showing up at your door, face red with rage because we've ignored our pings.

[quote MostlyMaple]@jgw1 😂 imagine Boris showing up at your door, face red with rage because we've ignored our pings.[/quote]
I'm quite excited by the idea, do you think he would want to sit in the fridge again for a bit?

I'm an NHS nurse, and we've been told that as of now, if we're 'pinged' by the NHS app, we do not need to isolate, and must come to work as usual. Makes having the app completely pointless!

Pings @MotionActivatedDog

I mean, the problem I see is that I've had the app ever since it was released without being 'pinged' once, even though I got Covid from somewhere...in the last month, without any change in behaviour, I've been pinged 3 times? The problem isn't the pings, it's the fact that there are so many of them and people want to but are actually unable to do the sensible or right thing when they happen?

Oh and this rush of pings is just a convenient way for the government to absolve themselves of any responsibility or being unpopular for bringing in measures, because it's all personal responsibility now.

Part of me can't believe that people are actually SI as a result of being pinged. It's not obligatory an positively dystopian, no?

I’d quite like to know if I was exposed to someone who tested positive tbh. I check the matched keycount quite regularly as I find it interesting. Mine went up loads today after being in London at the weekend and being around a lot of people. However, I didn’t stay near anyone for more than 15 mins so I doubt I’d get pinged unless the person near me at the theatre (socially distanced so just one) or the person on table next to me at hotel breakfast tested positive. And if they did I’d want to know.

NOT having a go at supermarket workers because its not their fault but posted this elsewhere on Monday

"DH went out into town today for a few bits. Came back with some Emmi Cafe Latte iced coffees. Later on i went to the fridge for one . Use by date was 6/7 Picked up another one 6/7 They are on the kitchen sink . I shall pour them down there later. Not bothered about the money. As long as no one gets bloody ill. Is this the pingdemic leaving places short staffed. Because if it is they need to do something about it...............before someone gets poisoned. Suppose DH could have checked the date but he was in his scooter and a bit hot and bothered"

I didn't realise that so many people still used the app. The people I know that had it just had no end of anxiety from it. One chap I know kept getting pinged because his flat had a bus stop outside.
No app for me (but my phone is ancient anyway).

You don't need to delete the app, just turn off the Bluetooth tracking facility.

@mog27

I think people are not taking it seriously because there's no legal obligation to listen to the app and isolate should you get pinged. Work colleagues of mine have downloaded the app in the hope of getting pinged and getting 10 days off fully paid.

I'm not surprised people are doing this. People will take complete advantage of it. I've deleted my test and trace app as it seems a bit useless really 🤷‍♀️

I'm guilty of deleting the app. 3 of my close colleagues (school) tested positive last week, 4 classes were out as their bubbles burst. Public health England had said that I didn't need to isolate but I knew all 3 of these people had the app I'd more than likely be pinged and have to isolate anyway. Last time I was pinged it was because our bags were hanging near to each others in the staff room with phones in.

I've never had the app, nor intend to, however a couple of my friends downloaded it in the hope of getting pinged and 10 days off work, no other reason.
Which I suspect quite a lot of others have if they're completely honest.

I don't get why people would delete it. You can opt to ignore it if you wish but I much rather know and take as a minimum extra precautions, certainly avoid very vulnerable people. Do the lateral flow tests regularly and go and get a test the second I show symptoms however mild.

What is there to gain to just delete it and pretend all is fine and we couldn't possibly be affected?

The issue is not the app, the issue is the sheer number of cases. You would just replace those isolating due to contact, with people off work ill with the actual virus.

@MostlyMaple
Round here most of the isolations are from actual infections track and trace, known contacts or school bubbles at the moment
The community case rate has sky rocketed (NE) here.
I hate the term 'pingdemic' because it sounds so flippant, and people think the risk isn't real rather than the fact that there is a massive case rate (actual people, actually sick) which means their close contacts is going to be bloody high.

Which I suspect quite a lot of others have if they're completely honest
Not at all. This is not the case for my OH and I. We DO want to know because we have regular contact with vulnerable people, so we want to be able to minimise passing in on to them as well as any vulnerable people we might be in contact with who we don't know.

If our society was a bit less self-centered, this virus would be a bit less out of control.

Isolating does bring some hardship for some people and businesses, totally get that, but here is a middle ground between totally isolating for 10 days and mixing with the public oblivious to how we might be passing it on.

@Washimal

If everyone deletes the app because pings are too inconvenient for you, what do you think will happen with the virus?? It doesn't disappear!

This. I have heard so many people say they've deleted the app recently. They think this is fine because "all the elderly and vulnerable are vaccinated" but what they can't seem to grasp is that the more the virus is allowed to spread, the more likely it is that a vaccine-resistant strain will develop. Then we really will be back to square one.

The virus is going to spread. It is impossible to reduce spread to zero.

Yes deleting the app will also delete covid, why didn't we think of that sooner?

I'm more bothered that people seem to be attributing isolation to an app pinging rather than "I've been in contact with someone who has tested positive with covid19".

The pingdemic complaining is like trump complaining case rates went up because people were testing, rather than the cases existed whether they tested or not.

‘Last time I was pinged it was because our bags were hanging near to each others in the staff room with phones in.’

If you read the guidance on the contact tracing section of the app, this is one of the scenarios where you’re supposed to turn it off.