The NHS Covid-19 app is now live in England & Wales

[Redolent]

For iPhones at least, not sure about Android yet.

My postcode is ‘medium risk’ apparently...

@Fagled OK, but this new app still has the same problems as the old one! I can't get it on my slightly older iphone.

Theres a few local businesses near me saying you have to scan there QR code for track and trace on this app if you want to enter their premises (mostly beauty and hair salons) what if you don't want the app (for reasons such as it drains the battery not because of T&T) or you don't have a phone that is compatible with the app. For example my DM has a phone thats older than my eldest child will this mean she can't go get her hair done now , will less tech-savvy people now be denied access to certain places if they don't have (or want) this app?

[quote LeaveHomeSavePret]@Fagled OK, but this new app still has the same problems as the old one! I can't get it on my slightly older iphone.[/quote]
@LeaveHomeSavePret It has one shared problem and that is not exclusive to this app.

What device are you using? Some iPhones in particular physically do not have the required Bluetooth chip inside of it, if you’re running one of these phones unless you want someone to physically modify your phone, you’re out of luck. Developers can only work with what is present.

Apple and Google decided market saturation was a more effective use of development time when they built their tracing API. It’s better to cover 95% of the market well, than it is to cover 100% of the consumer market poorly, which will have been a constraint they’ll have had considering the short turn around time required.

What's the point of it if you check local figures almost every day anyway?

Another one with an iphone 6 here

@Concerned7777

Theres a few local businesses near me saying you have to scan there QR code for track and trace on this app if you want to enter their premises (mostly beauty and hair salons) what if you don't want the app (for reasons such as it drains the battery not because of T&T) or you don't have a phone that is compatible with the app. For example my DM has a phone thats older than my eldest child will this mean she can't go get her hair done now , will less tech-savvy people now be denied access to certain places if they don't have (or want) this app?

No, because they can use alternative methods of giving details (which places have been using anyway)

What device are you using? Some iPhones in particular physically do not have the required Bluetooth chip inside of it
Yes, my perfectly good iphone has Bluetooth.
I find your explanation slightly confusing, but IMO I don't think the billions of UK money spent on this app are worth developing a new app rather than using a pre-existing app that was available months ago, even if these pre-existing apps are also not perfect.

Android v6 or higher. So my older phone can't download it.

@Bupkis I've seen a few SM posts from these businesses saying you can't enter without scanning the QR code , if they can manually take details instead they should be telling customers this for those without the app

Not keen on a app that Dido Harding has been involved in, due her previous incident with customer data.

I've downloaded it and I'm happy to do check in, but...
Does no-one else see the flaw with the idea that we check in but not check out??
For example the gym

Sometimes I just go to a class, 30-60min
Sometimes I pop in for 20min to do something when I'm already warmed up from a run
Sometimes I'm in for 2hours for a full workout.

There is no way of them knowing what people are in for how long just what time they got there.

Having looked at the guidance, it is mandatory to isolate if notified by NHS Track and Trace. Does this include being notified by the app?

@Firef1y72

I've downloaded it and I'm happy to do check in, but... Does no-one else see the flaw with the idea that we check in but not check out?? For example the gym

Sometimes I just go to a class, 30-60min
Sometimes I pop in for 20min to do something when I'm already warmed up from a run
Sometimes I'm in for 2hours for a full workout.

There is no way of them knowing what people are in for how long just what time they got there.

Exactly that. What if I just pop in and out of somewhere, 2 hours later someone positive comes in and my app bings. Is it then law that I have to isolate based on not ever having been close to them at the time, or even within a few hours?

Can anyone share a link to details about whether retailers need to have this? And how it works in shops?

I've just noticed local shops saying you'll need to scan the QR code if you're going to be in there for more than 15 mins.

My DH works in a supermarket and they've got the posters up.. but wonder what happens for those who don't have phones capable of this??

They will have to do paper copies.

Is there now a legal requirement for shops to do track and trace though? As only seems to be a select few who are saying they're doing it? Can't see retail on the list of ones it applies to, seems to be more hospitality, beauty industry.

@WhentheDealGoesDown1

It was explained on the BBC this morning that it isn’t the government which is causing it not to work on the older phones, it is that the technology was not there in older operating systems, something to do with the Bluetooth and there was nothing they could do about it

People are going to moan no matter what! Of course there are limitations of what older phones are capable of. My mother is still using a little old indestructible Nokia, should every app have to function on that too? I'm on Android and the only app I can see so far is the one restricted to IoW and Newham so will have to wait to see if it works on my apparently suspect Chinese phone

I'm still very much on the fence about whether to download this app or not.

I guess I will have to eventually if I want to go into the occasional pub or restaurant, though I can't see us doing that much before Christmas Day when we usually go out to a local one for dinner.

I might just keep reading about how it seems to be going for now.

Just tried. My phone also to old iPhone 6!! Bought brand new from store 2y ago! Granted it wasn’t the newest version but they need to be broadcasting on news that only most expensive phones bought last year or so will work. Not everyone updates new phone every year. Once again poorest part of society have less covid protection

@NothingIsWrong I read this morning that because the data in the app is anonymous there's no link to you if the app asks you to isolate, so no fines are possible although I wonder how much I trust that.

Apparently when you check into a place you automatically check out at midnight unless you scan the code for another venue. And you'll only be notified by the app to isolate due to a positive case at a venue if a public health team deem it necessary. I'm really struggling to find the web page I found all this info on yesterday.

@NothingIsWrong

Having looked at the guidance, it is mandatory to isolate if notified by NHS Track and Trace. Does this include being notified by the app?

Matt Hancock was saying this morning that it’s voluntary to isolate if notified by the app.

Just add mine was saying software 12.6 but no updates available, so can’t get version 13 which apps needs. If anyone found a way around let me know

@LeaveHomeSavePret

What device are you using? Some iPhones in particular physically do not have the required Bluetooth chip inside of it Yes, my perfectly good iphone has Bluetooth. I find your explanation slightly confusing, but IMO I don't think the billions of UK money spent on this app are worth developing a new app rather than using a pre-existing app that was available months ago, even if these pre-existing apps are also not perfect.

@LeaveHomeSavePret You need bluetooth 4.0. That precludes anything before an iPhone 6 as they do not have a powerful enough bluetooth controller nor the accuracy. It is not enough to just have bluetooth, different specifications of bluetooth have existed for years.

The app did not cost close to a billion pounds, I'm not sure why you think that. It will cost in the order of 20-25 million, including marketing, design, legal and penetration testing. It is not cheap for sure.

Perhaps I was confusing, my apologies. We have hooked into the work that was done months ago by Apple and Google, we have not in fact developed a whole new app from the ground up as you suggested.

The code and inner workings are available for all to see should anyone be interested:

github.com/nhsx/covid-19-app-ios-ag-public

@covetingthepreciousthings

Is there now a legal requirement for shops to do track and trace though? As only seems to be a select few who are saying they're doing it? Can't see retail on the list of ones it applies to, seems to be more hospitality, beauty industry.

It says: hospitality services, including pubs, bars, restaurants and cafés tourism and leisure services, including hotels, museums, cinemas, zoos and theme parks close contact services, including hairdressers, barbershops and tailors facilities provided by Local Authorities, including town halls and civic centres for events, community centres, libraries and children’s centres places of worship, including use for events and other community activities

If you have a venue outside of these categories that is visited by members of the public and has a space where people congregate, then we also encourage you to create a QR code poster for the entrance to that venue.

Matt Hancock was saying this morning that it’s voluntary to isolate if notified by the app.

What's the point then..?