The now-ditched NHS contact tracing app may have actually been a success for the Isle of Wight as the local R rate and the number of cases recorded on the Island dropped rapidly after the app was launched.
A team from Oxford University’s Nuffield Department of Medicine have been studying the data which shows the Island went from having one of the worst R rates in the country to one of the best.
The Isle of Wight was ranked 147th out of 150 local authorities in terms of the overall local R rate. However, shortly after the app was launched in May, the Island was ranked 10th out of 150.
It is estimated that the R number on the Isle of Wight was up to 25% lower than the national level during the months of May and June.
Dr Michelle Kendall, from Oxford University’s Nuffield Department of Medicine, has said:
“The epidemic on the Isle of Wight rapidly declined following the introduction of the test, trace and isolate programme. It’s hard to disentangle the exact causes of the island’s success without a more detailed breakdown of data, but we’re hopeful that as more test and trace data becomes available we’ll be able to determine which individual interventions had the greatest impact.
“The research method we have developed could also be adapted to identify hotspot areas where a surge in cases requires further investigation.”
Quote: one of the worst R rates in the country to one of the best..
Excuse me, it wasn’t the App alone, 90% of the people i know couldn’t use it at all, so please do not take ALL the credit.
Of course it was a complete failure, that’s why it was dropped like a rock. Never mind the Government have all your data now anyway. I’m sure they will sell it to the highest bidder.
If it was such a success as they state,why was it ditched?,it should have gone nationwide then, and the whole country would have a low R number
I suspect that once again the Goverment underestimated just how many people do not have a smart phone with app facilities. I don’t, & most of my friends don’t, we don’t need what they offer and as pensioners can’t afford even the so called PAYG monthly contracts, for me it is PAYG or nothing. they underestimated how many children do not have access to home computing for home schooling as well.
I wish we still had it, lots of my friends had it and it worked well. It gives you confidence when you go to paces with a lot of people.
Erm, I’ve searched high and low for clarity over the claim that IOW had one of the highest R Rates in the country before the App trial started. Does anyone have any figure to support this claim?
Tony, please see my comment further down. You are correct in your suspicion
I agree with TonyPendleton. The IOW has never had one of the worse R rates. I don’t know where she got this info from. We have always been one of the safest areas!!!!!!!