Will you sign up for the NHS contact tracing app?

[Runningfar]

I can't see any reason why I wouldn't. Has anyone got any concerns about it?

[PermanentTemporary]

Yes, absolutely yes. Anything to get out of this. I have antibodies but who knows how long that lasts.

[BirdieFriendReturns]

amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/04/vote-leave-ai-firm-wins-seven-government-contracts-in-18-months?__twitter_impression=true

“Faculty is run by Marc Warner, whose brother Ben Warner, a data scientist, was reportedly recruited to Downing Street last year by Cummings after running the data modelling for the Conservative party’s general election campaign. Ben Warner is a former senior employee at Faculty and is also said to have worked on Vote Leave.”

“Faculty is working at the heart of the government’s response to the pandemic. It has been processing large volumes of confidential UK patient information in an “unprecedented” data-mining operation alongside Palantir, a US firm founded by the libertarian billionaire Peter Thiel.”

[Upupupwithafish]

Yes

[Bluntness100]

Sure, of course we will, if it helps progress the control of this disease, I shall do what I can. I have no issue with the government tracking me. If they asked I’d tell, it’s all very dull, daughters, shops, garden centre, friends, work etc, (post lock down)

I don’t do anything nefarious or particularly unusual so can’t see any issues even if Boris did suddenly decide he was Kim jong un and Keir stammer and Nicola sturgeon agreed with him.🤣

[everybodysang]

I'm really concerned about it but if questions about where the contact data is stored and by who and what they'll do with it to ensure it's protected and not kept are answered then I'll probably download it.

But it should be very, very carefully scrutinised.

[KenDodd]

Has anyone posted who got the contract for it yet?
mobile.twitter.com/carolecadwalla/status/1254315149135151104

[BirdieFriendReturns]

mobile.twitter.com/carolecadwalla/status/1254887428260868096

[PuzzledObserver]

Why can't we be tested instead of having to isolate?

If there was infinite availability of testing, you could. In the absence of that, the sensible thing is to test the person who triggered the alert, and then either confirm your need to self-isolate or tell you you don't need to.

I work with very vulnerable children and who need personal care so having phones with cameras is a safeguarding risk.

Understood, there will always be some places that can't have them. But there will also be some where it would be possible to lift the restriction.

It's not about 100% coverage, it's about as-much-as-possible. The more coverage there is, the greater the impact on the spread of the virus and the more quickly blanket restrictions can be lifted.

[Baaaahhhhh]

Look at who has developed this app...highly suspicious

NHSx has developed the app. Which company do you think is helping them? This information is not public domain.

[Godzillasonice]

@PuzzledObserver my place of work would be very unlikely to change their policy as the reason we aren't aloud phones on us is not to do with texting. I work with very vulnerable children and who need personal care so having phones with cameras is a safeguarding risk. So protect children and staff we don't have them on us.

[stuckindoors77]

Yes I will, I don't love the idea but I can see how it's a way to move forward now and to re-start the economy, so I'd do it because it's the right thing to do.

I wonder how many of the "no's" would have a re-think if they realised that only people with the app were able to go to pubs, gatherings and social events for example.

[flowerstar19]

Absolutely yes!

[BirdieFriendReturns]

Look at who has developed this app...highly suspicious!

[RhubarbTea]

Fuck no. Not a chance.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

Ok, but with the app and tracing, would we have to isolate of we have been in contact with someone who has it? At least that's what I understand will happen.

Why can't we be tested instead of having to isolate?

[PuzzledObserver]

It’s all about interrupting chains of transmission. The more chains you interrupt, the more you limit the spread.

Manually, that means asking everyone who tests positive who they have been near within the last two weeks. That relies on memory, which is notoriously unreliable, not to mention all the people you’ve been near who you don’t know.

If you add the app, you add in the people you’ve forgotten as well as those you don’t know. Not all of them, only those who have also downloaded the app. But even so, it means more chains of transmission are interrupted, R is reduced..... and maybe more general restrictions can be lifted.

So yes, people will be going in and out of isolation, possibly for no reason. But that’s better than everyone being in lockdown all the time, isn’t it? As I understand it, if the person who triggered the alert is tested and it comes back negative, the people who have been pinged will be pinged again and told they are in the clear.

As for people not allowed to have their phones on them, employers could, you know, change their policies. It’s possible to have your phone on airplane mode but with Bluetooth on, so the exchange of ID’s can still take place, without the worker being able to call/text/check SM.

In order for contact tracing to be effective we need to be testing more people, i.e. the symptomatic people who are currently not deemed sick enough to go to hospital. So that means we have to get the number of infections down still further, before there is enough test capacity so that anyone who has symptoms can get tested.

If we get to that point, and we have sufficient contact tracing capacity (combination of manual and automated), then we have the possibility of both a functioning economy and keeping Covid cases at a low number.

[Baaaahhhhh]

Yes, because a decentralized system doesn't really assist in proper track and trace. Yes, because if you are happy with Google and Apple, and your mobile phone operator to track you, why not the government. The data does not "share" any private other date, like healthcare data, or anything else other than your location.

Yes, because DH is somewhat involved, and he is happy to download it.

[CarlaH]

I'm afraid my freedom will come with a vaccine or efficient treatment.

Not because the PTB have the ability to tell me I have might have been in close proximity to somebody who might have the virus.

Too bloody late then. I shall stay at home as much as I can.

[RedRiverShore]

I think I saw somewhere that it needed 60% of people to comply and somewhere else 80%

[PickleASturgeon]

No

[MarginalGain]

So it's pointless if it's not compulsory and depriving us of freedom if it is compulsory?

It may well still work if it's not compulsory - the public remains hugely in support of the lockdown and is terrified of it being lifted, this will probably be their hand-hold out of it.

The refuseniks are probably the minority.

[feetfreckles]

I guess trying to save lives and the econ9my is terrible suspicious

[feetfreckles]

So it's pointless if it's not compulsory and depriving us of freedom if it is compulsory?

Both extremes I think are wrong.

If it gives us the freedoms to live and work and play during the pandemic , it's giving freedoms and those that we give up in return are temporary, and it doesn't need everyone to do it to make a real impact, so no need to force anyone

[LilacTree1]

“ But do our government have sinister intentions? They told the police to lay off and haven't gone for a strict lockdown like other countries.”

Taping off park benches so an elderly person going for a walk can’t even sit down? I don’t think the government have been kind or understanding in their approach.

Telling me other governments are worse makes me more inclined not to go down the slippery slope.

Lol at Schroedinger’s mobile phone.

[Peggysgettingcrazy]

The is no way that it could stay tracing you for ever ...it's under your control

In that case the argument could be made, that its pointless.

If you delete and reinstall at will, you cojld take it off if you know you are going somewhere busy. Or going somewhere not in, the guidlines. What ever they may be when it comes out.