I’ve just been pinged as a ‘close contact’ but have now idea how

[Rainallnight]

My NHS Covid app just pinged and told me I’m a close contact of someone who has Covid and that I must isolate for 8 days.

I have no idea where this has come from. I’ve not checked in anywhere for absolutely ages and I don’t know personally anyone who’s tested positive.

Has this happened to anyone else? I’ve got two young DC and this’ll make life so bloody difficult.

I think I’d feel better about it if I just understood what’s got me in this situation

@LightasaBreeze

Maybe they should have looked further into it to see how it actually worked...

Maybe. Or maybe they quickly downloaded it to scan a QR code and get into a venue…

More fool them then, shouldn't come on here whining about it.

I don’t see ‘whining’ TBF.

@ivfgottwins I’m trustee of a charity and I was asked to say a few words at a fundraising concert in aid of the charity, which has been affected, as all have, by the pandemic. I wasn’t off on a jolly

I have the app to check into places but not the contact tracing on. I'm part-time self employed so if I have to isolate, I have to refund customers and lose money. I don't get any government help for that as I've not been running this business long enough. So while I get some SSP from my employed job, it's not much and I can't afford to continue to refund people from my own business. I had to do it a few weeks ago due to a check-in at the library and I have no way now of recouping that lost income. It's a nightmare.

@ivfgottwins oh please. Get that chip off your shoulder. We are allowed to go to fucking concerts.

Just read this in the DM so not the best but apparently part of the Governments freedom day plans,

'Restaurants, pubs and shops will no longer have to demand that customers provide their personal data or sign in with a 'QR' code.'

Someone at the local supermarket tested positive and half the bloody town where told to isolate

The app isn't fit for purpose, I deleted it after 2 weeks. It pings people through walls etc and is apparently full of bugs.

I turned the contact tracing bit off ages ago

I've been pinged today 🙄 The only place I went on that day was swimming but my phone was in my bag next to everyone else's on the side of the pool! I shall isolate and LFTs because I'd never forgive myself if I passed on the virus.

It would be interesting to find out how many of the pinged people actually go on to test positive.

Are you bank or on a permanent contract? Because, if the latter, the NHS should be paying you and I would query it with HR. Certainly in my trust we’re paying people if they themselves have to isolate, including app pings. Not sure of the score if I the reason you can’t work is a burst bubble where you are unable to come in because of childcare.

My local Trust (where a load of my friends work) don’t recognise instructions to isolate by the app - staff need to go in regardless or take unpaid time off (so everyone goes to work as normal). This has caused huge resentment with another friend who is self employed and lost income isolating on the instruction of the app as she believed it was all part of helping protect the NHS. She feels very bitter and I can understand that.

When you test positive you're given a code to put into the app. Then everyone gets a ping whos phone was in contact with yours.

@gamerchick

When you test positive you're given a code to put into the app. Then everyone gets a ping whos phone was in contact with yours.

Yes, I'm really not convinced that it's a brilliant system. I am not sure the people that devised it would think it was either. Bit of a shambles really.

I’ve just been pinged after 5 days. What on earth is the point! I’ll be isolating but I’ve been all over the place in those 5 days I wasn’t notified.