Islanders are now able to download and use the official COVID-19 contact tracing app, which is being rolled out exclusively on the Isle of Wight from today (Thursday).
As previously reported by Island Echo, Island residents are being encouraged to support the nation by being part of the next phase of the Government’s Test & Trace Programme. 75% of those polled say they will download the app.
To download the app, simply visit >> covid19.nhs.uk << on your mobile browser.
Once the app has been downloaded to your mobile phone you will be asked to submit the first part of your postcode (i.e. PO33) and enable both your phone’s low-energy Bluetooth and push notifications. You will not be asked to input any other personal details – apps that ask this information are not genuine.
The NHSX-developed application went live on Tuesday afternoon for both NHS and Council staff. However, the link was quickly found by others and hundreds, if not thousands, of Islanders have now already downloaded the app ahead of today’s official start of the trial. It is hoped at least 70,000 people will install the app over the next couple of weeks.
Over the next 10 days, Island Echo readers will be prompted to download the app through on-website advertising. In addition, every household on the Isle of Wight will receive a letter explaining further details about the app and how to download it.
How does the app work?
Once the app has been downloaded to your mobile phone, you will be asked to submit the first part of your postcode (i.e. PO33) and enable both your phone’s low-energy Bluetooth and push notifications. The app runs in the background so does not need to be open all the time.
Details on other devices (people) you’ve come into contact with, how long for and at what distance is stored locally on your own device. Rather importantly, each device is given a random ID – the data cannot be used to identify any specific individual and no other data is stored. Bluetooth is used to communicate with other phones nearby and it won’t drain your battery.
If you later develop symptoms of coronavirus and go on to tell NHSX this information, the past 28 days of locally-stored, non-traceable data will be uploaded to the NHS’s servers after completing a step-by-step process. The app will ask you: do you have a high temperature, do you have a new and continuous cough and the date the symptoms started. Users who are deemed likely of having COVID-19 are then given a reference number and a telephone number to call to request a swab test.
Swab tests will be delivered directly to Isle of Wight households by local drivers and collected the next day. These tests should arrive within 24 hours of the request and will be sent off to labs for analysis.
Using complex algorithms, the NHSX system will determine which app users should be notified of contact with a potential coronavirus carrier. Not all people who have come into contact with the symptomatic individual will be notified, just those considered to be at risk (based on distance and time – meaningful contact). The app will not register those who simply pass in the street. It has been confirmed that the notifications will not be issued in a real-time, but instead in batches every 4-6 hours.
done
Done
ha i dont take my phone on my boat so no problem there and i dont sell fish or keep undersized so ill be fine
Done
Sheep
Tosser
Do as ur told and live in fear there be a vacine to save u all soon
Tried to download and it says my phone is not compatible with this version. My phone is only 3 years old. I wanted to help but can’t.
Anyone have any advice on this.
Thanks
For iPhone iOS 11 or later needed. Disappointing.
Likewise
Done – but only because I have an iPhone where they support devices running iOS 11 – iPhone 5 (2012) onwards.
My wife’s phone is an android so she is out of luck because they don’t support Android devices less than a couple of years old (Version 8.0, Android Oreo – released late 2017).
Support for Bluetooth LE has been available since Android Version 4.3 (jellybean) which was released in 2012 so making a conscious choice to limit the app to only the newest devices makes no sense.
Limiting support to Oreo and later excludes 40% of devices (according to official Google stats).
Extending support back to version 4.2 (Jellybean) would reduce that to just 1.5%. Even going to 5.0 (Lollipop) would reduce the exclusion to just 6% of android devices.
They also seem to have a problem with all Huawei devices, no matter how new – limiting the numbers still further.
There will already be an issue for people without smartphones so eliminating a large proportion of those that do have them is going to take some explaining.
I should say that I write health monitoring software for a living and have been working with Bluetooth devices for the last 10 years so have a fair amount of knowledge in this area.
Please – if you can install this I urge you to do so.
The version limits mean they are going to need everyone they can get to make this trial meaningful.
Developing for os’ that old is not always a choice the IDE’s move with the times and therefore the libraries they build on are not compatible with versions that far back, Would you complain that unreal engine games won’t run on MSDOS
Sometimes Rob, but not in this case.
Of course I wouldn’t expect there to be support for an operating system that was discontinued in 2000 but this is different.
The necessary BLE beacon support has been built into android since version 4.2 which was released in 2012. (There were libraries to support it available before that even)
This is not a high end game that needs masses of processing power to display real time graphics, it is a very basic app with a simple text based interface that needs to be available to the widest possible audience.
Their design choice (and it is a choice) means that 40% of android devices cannot run this app instead of only about 1.5% that are genuinely too old to support it.
That is a schoolboy error that risks undermining the whole trial.
loaded on my Huawei P30 Pro no problem. 🙂 all up and running.
I installed it on Android 7. I think the information saying Android 8+ is just wrong.
Fantastic my device is not compatible with the app
Says it’s not compatible with my Samsung android phone, for crying out loud!
They are working on the app to improve it for older mobile phones, at the moment it is for smart phones I will post on here if I hear an update for older phones.
If your phone isn’t compatible, you can leave feedback on the main page to let them know of the problem
If your phone isn’t compatible, you can leave feedback on the main page so they know there is a problem
Downloaded the app 1 hour ago.
Already had well over a dozen notifications from the app asking how do I feel and I haven’t even got out of bed.
Can’t see it staying on my phone long I get tired of repetitive issues very quickly.
nosey and intrusive app – that just tracks your movements then uploads to government. Not downloading this piece of government tracking software
Anon your movements can and are tracked on a daily basis, an incredible amount of information is collected already, about all of us. Stop being paranoid, the app. stores no personal information and you could possibly help others by using it.
debby – the app can track who I am with behind closed doors if the data that is collected is analysed to its source – which is simple enough for those running it to do – the very fact that they can do that if they wish, is way to intrusive in my view and as such, I will not be downloading it.
You’re not that interesting or special anon, stop kidding yourself that the Government cares even a little bit who you’re with
Otherwise you must be some massively dodgy person who is scared of getting caught?
Roa, I value my privacy and do not wish to have someone potentially looking over my shoulder, being nosey about where i go each day.
What happens if I publicly disagree with a future government policy on something or enact my right to protest – an app like this will allow the government to follow me and others around and disrupt lawful protests before they get started.
That is what these types of apps can be used for in the future. No thank you.
I know It might be a worry, that you think they are spying on you, but we are not in China where you would be locked up, or worse executed, for having an opinion on something the government didn’t agree with. If you have a phone, or on social media or even on the census, they know where and who you are anyway?
Ha ha .china is now on the UN human rights council, didnt know that Jane did you? So dont be so quick to say ,we arent in china. China social credit is coming.! Its already started , grassying on each other to the police, you get extra points for that under social credit. Oh I’m only stating facts, not bullying, like some have said. Just the truth. Everybody got the right to choose. ( at the moment)
You anon, are spot on the money, everything about a person, thoughts actions,attitude will be looked at. Are you a good citizen or a disruptive citizen?
You Mr Justice and anon are idiots, scaring vulnerable again?
The media are the ones scaring people! With lies! Open your fecking eyes man!
No. You are the idiot for not being sufficiently inquisitive and looking outside the box.
Then remove it once the pandemic is over!!!
Heavens above if you want to enact your middle class right to protest. You’re dodgy
Just not as blind as you to see whats really happening sheep
exactly! they’re wanted by the police or benefits agency
Well said Roa, massively dodgy alright
Something to hide anon? I think so!
Yes mark – my true identity, my whereabouts, my associates, my choices, my life – all this information is mine and mine alone – I decide who gets to know anything about me – I am not allowing myself to be a simple pawn to be tracked, controlled and dictated to by others.
If you wish to be a lemming or a sheep – you knock yourself out – I on the other hand like to preserve my anonymity – it is important to me.
Well said anon!!!
thank you mrs brown
1hour 45 minutes after install.
Still getting tons of notifications.
I have a brand new Huawei P20pro normally I would still have about 80 sometimes 75% battery a early evening. I’m down to 79% already.
Uninstalling this crap.
I have downloaded the app and it says my device is not supported. I have a Galaxy J6. Looks like my phone is not compatible ☹
Looks likely the app is heading towards another government cock up.
done
Great but unless your phone is an iPhone or an Android phone no dice! I like many others run a Microsoft phone running the latest Windows 10 mobile OS and cannot use this important tracking software! I wonder why we are being overlooked? The alternative is for us is to buy an Android or an iPhone. No thanks! Cheers.
Would it not be useful if the islandecho ran a survey for those who have successfully downloaded the App, and those who have been unsuccessful?
If you have nothing to hide and a compatible device you will download this application and help your fellow countrymen .. I have ts easy to do and non intrusive. Download it now please…
spot on
Again other people can have a different opinion to you so dont go demanding people to do as you say.
Nothing to do with having anything to hide, quick to accuse not very quick to think though.
Once again government screwed it up.
Once again government telling us they have a solution that should work.
App only works on new phones what good is that.
So they need 50,000 to download it for it to work.
Not a God’s in hells chance , so surely they tested it out right ,
So I was under the impression that 75% said they would download it. So now they have said 27,000 have downloaded it, just looked and it is 2,700 .
Again trying to tell us a load of crap.
Just update your phone to Android 8 released in 2017 if you can’t then your phone will be at least 5 years old. Time to get a new one for your own online security ..
Not everyone can afford to just upgrade a phone. Something else that people need to think about.
Not compatible with a Lenovo 8 core phone????
I hope the government give more thought and time as to how they are going to ease “lock down” than they have this App which clearly isn’t yet ready to be released..
Its not ready yet..Talks to look at decentralisation Google/Apple
Why couldn’t they have used the system used in a lot of other European countries, then it would be possible to compare notes plus when travel is opened up, the app would also wortk in those countries.
Ah but this government cannot be seen to be doing anything the EU does, now can it.
What a load of bullocks!!!
I was going to buy a new phone for the app but they were going to deliver using hermes, and I get too many parcels lost or stolen using hermes.. maybe some couriers have a drug problem to feed.
From reading this thread why is it ok for the people that want to download the app and take part in this trial to beat down on the people that have a different opinion and do not want to take part?
If you want to protect your privacy at all costs then that is that persons right, just as it’s your right to download and take part.
Stop with the petty “your an idiot for not downloading” attitude and accept the fact that other people have different opinions and do not have to bow down to what other people want people to do.