Zoe app

[pushananas]

Does the app ever tell you if you should get a test ? How does it tell you ?

Yes, you get an email to the email address you signed up with. Usually a good day or two after reporting potential symptoms...!

Yes, I had two emails the same day asking me to get a test.

Yes. I’ve been invited about 300 times for a test as I pop in that I have a headache & sore throat most days 🙈 I’ve got a baby. I’m just really sleep deprived & when I’m exhausted & run down I always get bad headaches & a sore throat. It’s been the same pretty much daily for 6 months now!

Ps. I don’t go get tested. I feel like it’s a waste when capacity seems reduced at the mo!

@Bol87

Yes. I’ve been invited about 300 times for a test as I pop in that I have a headache & sore throat most days 🙈 I’ve got a baby. I’m just really sleep deprived & when I’m exhausted & run down I always get bad headaches & a sore throat. It’s been the same pretty much daily for 6 months now!

I've reported those symptoms often and never been asked

I don’t report any symptoms unless they last more than a day precisely because I’m aware it can be quite sensitive for sending people for tests - obviously I would for the main three but headaches, dicky bellies etc. I would only report if it was an issue for more than 24hrs.

I've reported those symptoms often and never been asked

Have you reported them for a concurrent run of days? I would imagine they’ve set the algorithm to look for particular patterns of symptoms so they’re not sending people for tests for things like hangovers.

@Cornettoninja

I've reported those symptoms often and never been asked

Have you reported them for a concurrent run of days? I would imagine they’ve set the algorithm to look for particular patterns of symptoms so they’re not sending people for tests for things like hangovers.

Yes. Most of them have been concurrent. Even when I've reported them and said they are different from my usual hay fever symptoms I've not been asked to test.

i have never been asked to test
in fact i seem to have lost the app

Oh - well I can’t think of a reasonable explanation for that but I don’t have any idea of what their criteria is for asking for a test. Maybe it’s made in conjunction with a certain number of people in your area reporting the same symptoms 🤷‍♀️

You could always email and ask the question. They seem pretty open to interacting with users, a lot of the blog blurb opens with ‘you asked us’.

I have been invited four times.
I had a terrible period of reoccurring, debilitating tension headaches which I was pretty sure was stress related but it was good to rule out Covid-19.
I also had a cold a few weeks ago and got an invite. Again, I was quite sure that it was just a cold but I went along for the test to help the research process.
I do wonder what will happen when cold and flu season hits though and people start reporting those symptoms en mass

Yes you get an email.

OP have you checked your spam and gone on to the app to make sure you entered your email address correctly?

I've been asked a few times - am very run down due to insomnia and a stressful job though and have reported those symptoms, then been asked. Only done the test twice though.

It doesn't take up capacity which the NHS needs for normal testing: they have a deal with Zoe to provide test capacity for their users in return for extremely useful evidence and research about symptoms

I was asked once when I reported extreme fatigue. I have a condition which leads to extreme fatigue but the email said it's useful research info for them rather than it's because they think you have it so I did the test anyway.

And the research and evidence wouldn't exist if the Zoe users weren't being tested.

Can I ask on the Zoe app do you have to fill in any documentation on who you are? Could you sign on 10 times and be 10 different users with 20 different emails and user name?

10 different emails I meant

@Alex50 why on earth would anyone do that 🙄

Yes i have but mine always go yo spam. I've not worked out a way to stop that. Might be worth a look through your spam folder.

Most people probably wouldn’t but if you don’t know who’s adding reliable details how do you know there not?

@alex50 I suppose someone could use 10 different devices and/or email addresses to log in if they really wanted to and then spend time logging symptoms under all of these everyday? How many people do you think are likely to do that?

@DaughterX

OP have you checked your spam and gone on to the app to make sure you entered your email address correctly?

yes and yes

[quote Egghead68]@alex50 I suppose someone could use 10 different devices and/or email addresses to log in if they really wanted to and then spend time logging symptoms under all of these everyday? How many people do you think are likely to do that?[/quote]
There are definitely bots capable of that on a large scale. It wouldn’t need human input.

@Alex50, it’s not an unreasonable thought that the data ZOE collates might be compromised but so far their predictions have tallied with official numbers and they’ve proved themselves capable of collating reliable data.

I would be shocked if they weren’t aware of the dangers of collating data in the way they are and alert to looking for signs of it.