New covid contact tracing app now available

[dementedpixie]

protect.scot

Just had this sent to me from another group. Dutifully downloaded

Done. I guess there’s no way of knowing if it’s working or not?

downloaded and shared with all contacts to download

Have downloaded.

Me too. On one hand it feels a bit "big brother"ish, but on the other I think we have a collective responsibility to play our part.

I’ve downloaded it - may as well do my bit

Although I suspect the folk downloading will be the ones doing everything else properly and won’t be the ones to need it!

Can't download it as it's not available for my phone. Apparently neither can most of my friends with oldish iPhones.

I've downloaded it.

It might not be world beating but presumably it's functional, and that's all that counts.

Me too. Feel a bit weird about it but I've done it.

@Dinosauratemydaffodils

Can't download it as it's not available for my phone. Apparently neither can most of my friends with oldish iPhones.

I'm ok on my 5SE which is a few years old. What phones are struggling?

I'm ok on my 5SE which is a few years old. What phones are struggling?

I still have a Microsoft phone. One of the last they made but still works perfectly for what I want (texts, photos, phonecards, reading mumsnet etc). Was going to get a new one just before lockdown but as I wasn't going anywhere it seemed pointless.

Don't know which phones, just heard a bit of moaning. A friend I went out with this morning said she couldn't download it on her 3/4 year old iphone and in a committee facebook group I'm in there are people saying the same thing about their older phones.

My iPhone, think it's a 5 (it's over 3 years old) won't take the app. Not enough memory to have the latest iOS 14.7.

I won't be buying a new phone. But I suspect I'm not in the target group as I do not socialise outside of a very small group.

I'll encourage my younger relatives (with newer phones) to download it.

I've downloaded it although I realise I often don't take my phone out these days.

Just bumping to say I've downloaded it too...

I think it requires a smartphone from 2015 or later - Android 6.0 or IOS 13.5.

Nearly 500,000 downloads now...

Well done Public Health Scotland. 🙌

I won’t be. Think it’s only helpful if you go on public transport

Why won't you download it iquitelikenormality?

I have - it requires zero personal info, and doesn't seem to drain my battery.

I agree that it probably won’t help for people like me who barely shop and don’t use public transport. But there’s always a chance that I chat to someone on the street, come down with symptoms, then either forget or don’t know their details. It can only help.

How does the Bluetooth pinging of other phones work? What if I stand beside a parked car for 15 mins and the driver gets Covid? Or stood outside a cafe waiting for a friend and someone at the table inside the window catches it. Would they ping my app as positives and I'd be recommended to self isolate even though there was actually no contact?

Go to the local supermarket, two days later your app might ping to tell you that a fellow citizen has tested positive and was also in the supermarket at the same time as you. You were wearing a mask and social distancing down the aisles, it’s highly unlikely you even passed them, let alone caught anything- but what are your next steps? Do you quarantine? Do you pull your kids from school? What’s the end game? How will it help you to know you passed Jimmy Covid in the street and shopped in the same yoghurt aisle as them?
If it works to reassure folk, go ahead and get it, but I won’t be downloading it.

I thought the app measured how much time you were close to that person so you wouldn't get notified unless you were close to them for at least 15 minutes. It will not notify you for randomly walking past someone in the supermarket

As you come into contact with other app users, your phones will automatically exchange encrypted codes.

These codes are completely random and only say how long you have been in contact with another app user and how far apart you were.

The codes do not record your identity or location, and are deleted after 14 days.

Should you test positive for coronavirus, you will be provided with a code to enter into the app.

It will then quickly and anonymously notify those you have had close contact with. Meaning anyone that you’ve been closer than 2 metres to for at least 15 minutes

And provide them with clear advice on what to do next.

I think it is a useful tool; it may make folk a bit more wary and keep to social distancing/ mask wearing guidelines a bit more, which in the supermarket and shops I frequent can be a bit lax.

I think it will also be useful for people you come across who you wouldn’t necessarily have contact details for, that taxi or bus you travelled on, the waitress that served you or the gym you visited.

It may make you more mindful to look out for symptoms in yourself and perhaps curtail your socialising/ daily routine for a wee while (not visit grandparents or meet that friend for coffee etc.) however I can understand this may make some more fearful and cause anxiety.

Yes not everyone will download it and I get that but if this app helps to avoid another national lockdown with resulting closure of businesses, schools and universities then by downloading and acting appropriately, I’m part of the solution: it’s social responsibility.

In response to Bytheloch, I think it is our social duty to download the app to protect those essential workers (like supermarket employees, bus drivers, carers working in care homes etc) who you may not have their contact details to give to the contact tracers. Surely protecting those people and in doing so the most vulnerable of society, is the most important thing? I think stating “I won’t be downloading it” is quite unsettling and a dangerous statement to say.