The official NHS Test & Trace app has alerted thousands of Islanders to the fact that the risk level for the Isle of Wight has increased from ‘low’ to ‘medium’.
One of the features of the new and improved NHS mobile phone app – which the Island was selected to test last month – is the ability for users to be told the risk level in their local area.
Notifications have been pinging up on phones this afternoon (Wednesday) to inform locals of the worrying change.
The alert level is understood to be based on the local authority area (the Island as a whole) rather that individual postcodes.
The medium risk warning says:
“Your local authority, or a neighbouring local authority, has higher levels of infection than other parts of the country.
“The local area plan has been implemented and targeted actions are in place to reduce transmission of infection (e.g additional testing in care homes and increased community engagement with high risk groups).
‘Some areas may be receiving additional national support (e.g mobile testing capacity)’.
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Earlier on today it was confirmed that 5 new cases of COVID-19 have been identified on the Isle of Wight.
UPDATE THURSDAY – Isle of Wight Council leader, Dave Stewart, has today said:
“We understand that there are some concerns that the Island might be heading for a local lockdown as a result of the change in alert level on the NHS Covid-19 app, but this is not the case.
“The Island still has a relatively low rate of infection compared with other areas of the country and we continue to monitor this on a daily basis.
“The change could simply be down to the national alert level rising from three to four. The five new confirmed cases reported yesterday (Wednesday) may also have driven the change.
“We are told by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) that most local authorities in England are now classified as medium risk because either they or their neighbouring local authority has high or rising levels of infections.
“We will continue to work with the DHSC today to try to secure more information on the reasons for the change here.
“In the meantime, we should all continue to be vigilant of coronavirus symptoms which include a new continuous cough, high temperature, or a loss or change in your sense of taste or smell.
“It also important that we follow the government guidelines: hands, face, space.
- Wash your hands often and for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser regularly.
- Wear a face-covering where appropriate.
- Keep space from other people; 2 metres or at least 1 metre apart.
“If you or someone you know, displays any symptoms, no matter how mild, please get a free test by calling 119 or visiting NHS.uk
“The council has also produced a self-isolation toolkit to help people prepare to self-isolate if they need to.”
Close the pubs, eateries NOW and prevent more drunken idiots and ignorant 2nd homeowners and holidaymakers, bringing it over here. Ban the so called exemptions, MAKE people wear masks, I see supermarkets are getting tougher, never should have got so lenient!!!! Even the Asthma UK websites says you should wear a mask. Stop being big babies and just wear a mask.
ABSOLUTELY AGREE Karn with everything you have said. People need to wake up and except responsibility for themselves, wear a mask, if everyone does it will surely decrease the risk of catching COVID significantly.
At the beginning they said masks make no difference why do you believe them now when they say they do because they want us all to wear them.They either do or they don’t
Yes, in the beginning, face masks were not mandatory, agree with you there. Very little was known about the virus. As time has gone by, greater understanding has emerged. A face mask worn by just one individual will have no protection, BUT, if EVERYONE wears a mask or some sort of face covering, the risk of spreading or catching this virus has got to be SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. We have all got to pull together, be responsible, don’t do anything stupid that will increase the risk of spreading this virus and hopefully, hopefully, the numbers here on the island won’t take off?!?! WEAR A FACE COVERING, RESPECT DISTANCING SPACE FROM OTHERS AND KEEP GOOD HAND HYGIENE. With the colder winter months ahead, everyone has got to do their bit to try and keep everyone safe, not only from COVID but the FLU virus also.
Tell this to the younger age group who walk around looking at their phone and will not move aside to allow passing pedestrians – or maybe they are checking the NHS app HAHA
I think you’re generalising a bit here Jan, I’ve experienced just as many of the older generations not making space when people are clearly trying to distance. Maybe we shouldn’t be blaming each other and holding our government to more account.
Just walk into and knock them and knock the phone to the floor, they soon take notice then
Good idea I hadn’t thought of that!!!
They seem to be totally ignorant Jan to what is going on huh. Well now the uni students have been told they can’t go home, these young people might just start understanding what is going on, might!!!!
Agreed.
Well said. What would happen if the only person in the room not wearing a mask had covid ? They’d spread it to lots of people who are doing the right thing and wearing one. It’s totally selfish not to wear one. I think if you have asthma it would be better to wear a mask than be on a ventilator .
Yes…that was a good one, I believe the main reason for that was herd immunity, the health care were short, remember people were donating ppe as our Tory government had poorly equiptment us for any event. The negligence is far greater than in Lebanon (fertiliser incident). Im not convinced masks are doing much at all by how they’re handled, i.e people touch them alot, adjusting them. If your hands arent clean you will still contract a sar virus. i believe it was just to give people confidence to get out and get the economy going. A mask will not 100% safe guard you. Your need a hazmat suit….
stop being a sheep karn and doing what your told like a good little boy
If you exempt from wearing a mask it means you can’t catch or infect others with Covid -19 and there is no risk of dying !. YER + use your brain, everyone should wear – no exception except if need to temp remove to lip read. If have lung/health issues – do you really think fair on others, your health and the NHS to go to out in anycase.
Oh shut up Sheeple why don’t you. People who post this sort of comment like you, are getting v boring now. Maybe you might catch the virus and get really ill!!!!!! Now wouldn’t that change your views and shut you right up! You could get Mr Justice and Mrs Brown round to look after you in your days/weeks of need, because if you get the virus REALLY BAD you won’t be going know where.
It’s idiots like you…
Well put sir
I’d sooner be a good little boy than a dead little boy whatever the nay sayers rant about.
If you truly believe what you are saying go join one of the government hating, right wing terrorist groups that spread this kind of poison in Southern United States. Failing that, get yourself a box to stand on, stand up in Newport town centre and shout it out loud rather than hide behind a keyboard
So the left wing terrorists supporting “peaceful protests” in America are perfectly fine to congregate en mass and loot and destroy?
And wear them properly, of course – not with noses poking over the top, like so many on the bus do.
Agreed
I saw one man pull it down to read a sign
How come supportive care homes cannot get tests
I work in a care home and we are all tested every week
But under 12s don’t wear masks and all back to school so the middle age and elderly have to wear them but all the kids can spread it like wild fire. That makes complete sense, when it was lock down nobody wore them, I can’t make any sense of this
Am I the only person who thinks that the old are being sacrificed to keep the schools and Universities open when they are the places where it spreading.
And I’m a 64 year old whose manager insists I should be back at work in the university of Portsmouth when I’ve been working at home.
The increase in infections has only happened since schools went back,So surely they should restrict them again and also universities where some students have no idea about the rule of SIX
Boris made a comment the other day that you are only young once well I say to him you are only old once but have less time to enjoy life.
Blame it all on the kids there is no virus the mask do nothing except damage your health wake up the fear is back
Hi Bob, would you care to enlighten us with some science/facts/references behind your statement?
I think with the evidence, your point will be much more well received.
Wake up Mr Gullible, please.
There is no scientific evidence to prove masks protect you! Done the research
They don’t, they protect others
CORRECT, they protect others. So if EVERYONE wears a mask, you, me and all the others will have a greater chance of NOT catching this bloody horrible virus. FACT, FACT, FACT. This goes out to all the disbelievers. Suck it up and take it in…
What hurrible virus there aint nothing
Tell that to the people who’s loved ones have died from it !
You only post your idiotic comments to provoke a reaction…..then I bet you read what people have replied and then you laugh your b*lls off???
Well said, yes they do but all the idiots don’t care about other people just their blindfolded selves. . Selfish insular nobs the lot of em..
Touchy! If you don’t like other’s opinions then don’t read them. No need to name call. Are you 12?
LETS SEE THE RECEIPTS THEN MRS BROWN!???????
The nation’s top scientists, having examined key data and research, have declared there is no firm evidence to back the use of face coverings. Indeed, they argue that wearing the wretched things may actually hamper the fight against disease.
Holland’s position is based on assessments by the Outbreak Management Team, a group of experts advising the government. It first ruled against masks in May and has re-evaluated the evidence several times, including again last week.
It believes they detract from a clear three-pronged message that has kept deaths from coronavirus down to less than half the rate in Britain: wash hands regularly, maintain social distancing of 1.5 metres and stay at home if suffering any symptoms.
The one exception outside of the medical frontline has been on public transport, where masks are mandatory on the basis it is difficult to stay apart on crowded buses, ferries and trains. ‘We have seen this approach works,’ said Christian Hoebe, a professor of infectious diseases in Maastricht and member of the advisory team. ‘Face masks should not be seen as a magic bullet that halts the spread.
‘The evidence for them is contradictory. In general, we think you must be careful with face masks because they can give a false sense of security. People think they’re immune from disease or stop social distancing. That is very negative.’
Hoebe, head of infectious disease control in Zuid-Limburg, the region hit hardest when the pandemic struck Holland, pointed to a Norwegian study showing 200,000 people must wear surgical masks for one week to stop a single Covid-19 case.
The World Health Organisation has also been sceptical, warning that ‘widespread use of masks by healthy people in the community setting is not yet supported by high-quality or direct scientific evidence’.
Although changing its advice in June to back the encouragement of mask wearing in some settings, the WHO lists 11 ‘potential harms’ that range from discomfort through to self-contamination and lower compliance with more critical preventative measures.
There is also no research that says they don’t, so let’s all air on the side of caution and wear one just in case. Better safe than sorry.
A virus can only be seen under a microscope so them mask stop nothing its like catching a flee with a fishing net aint happening just increase your c02 thats why you get headaches when you wear them
Stupid cow! Blind and ignorant you poor thing! Hope you don’t get the virus you’ll really be in xxxx Street then!
Oh a bit touchy! No need to throw your toys out! Act your age my dear.
Is some one getting angry is the fear getting to you its ok
How odd Mrs Brown, you’ve been one of the people on here telling us not to believe everything we read,all the scientists have varying opinions on the wearing of masks.
idiota
Bob the k nob!!!! No virus, get real man and don’t make yourself sound so STUPID.
It happens every year the seasonal colds and flus are back
Why so aggressive are you scared well you hide in fear ill carry on as i have a free man enjoy
Bob, not aggressive, just fed right up with people like you saying “there is no virus, or it’s just like the flu”. Yes, the flu virus does and will take more lives, unfortunately, but COVID is on a completely different level, so more aggressive in its spread and the amount of people it infects. If it doesn’t kill you, it can leave people with long term or permanent damage to their major organs, lungs, heart and kidneys. When has the FLU VIRUS EVER DONE THAT?
The flu virus becomes pneumonia and tens of thousands of people die from it every year. Even in the first week of September, 868 people died of flu and pneumonia whereas 77 died of Covid 19. These are official government statistics.
Maybe we should treat seasonal flu like Covid 19 and set all these restrictions in place every winter, won’t that be fun
U silly person
it can wipe people out for weeks even months have you ever had proper flu
check out germ theory and cellular theory if its the way you catch a virus whys is it a theory
Carry on as a “free man” and enjoy spreading the virus to others. Even if it is “only” seasonal flu it still kills.
i have comon sense before all this would you go to some one house if you were ill would you cough or sneeze in some ones face no course you wouldnt its comon sense there aint no virus wake up
Well said
It is noticeable that the number of infections have gone up since schools were reopened – surely this must tell those people in Westminster something. They must look at this and act now. The same goes for unis but this partly due to the parties that have been taking place Why should older people have to suffer again by being restricted, The PM made a comment the other night that you are only young once – BUT tyu are only old once and less time to recover and enjoy
PO38 is still advising as LOW risk level at 17:50
Same as mine app it says low risk
PO36 states low
Spoke too soon, PO36 now medium risk ☹️
My wife and I are sitting on the couch together and both have different alert levels but I’m glad to see an alert.
We keep ourselves at home and wear masks if we have to go to the Coop So we agree about the mask wearing
I’m in PO32 and the app still says low risk
My wife is 2m away from me (social distancing!) my app shows low risk and hers shows medium risk
Nice to know this app is as useless as the last one!
Can’t believe you’ve all downloaded it lol
Just changed to medium!
Closing pubs and eateries won’t do any good as only the businesses will suffer, people will still drink in their or friends houses. As for 2nd home owners and holidaymakers, what you are actually saying is stop all population flow between the mainland and the Island or is it only those people that the virus targets? Anyone working on the Island from the mainland or vice versa or emergency service personnel should be not be able to get on a ferry? Crews of ferries, Hovercraft, delivery drivers for supermarkets, medical supplies…stop them as well? Think before you make stupid comments. The only sensible thing you said is wear a mask.
I said essential ferry travel, so all those you mentioned are ok.
Simon, well said. If a lot of people have their way here then no post, no supermarket goods etc. Oh and cancel hospital appointments in Southampton while you are at it! Heaven forbid if air ambulances are required. Get realistic people, you cannot blame everyone else and need to look from within. People not wearing masks, not social distancing but apparently all from the mainland! How ridiculous and narrow minded can you continue to be with with this constant blaming of people on the mainland? Just as many people travel from both sides of the Solent don’t think for a minute that no one from the Island travelled to a mainland airport to visit France, Spain, Italy etc. Maybe they should call for us to be banned from leaving the Island.
I think what you are trying to describe at the end is the difference between ‘second home owners’ and ‘keyworkers’.
Yes stop the boats apart from returning islanders or leaving mainlanders. Isle of Man did it
Only allow ESSENTIAL supplies and deliveries to the island. Food, medicine, post etc. Why do people really think it is necessary to travel to the Isle of Wight or anywhere come to that, for a holiday. We’re trying to stop the spread of a potentially killer virus. STAY AT HOME, SAVE LIVES.
You still going on mate people work on the mainland to support there familys why dont you move of lock ur self away and let people live there lifes if they wish to catch any think its down to them cancer has killed more than this lie do you lock your self away from that
Your original report specifically said PO31, Not The Isle of Wight as a whole !!!!
Different postcodes are saying different things. Ours is PO33 stating medium risk. A friend down the road low risk. Methinks the app is rubbish
Jeez .calm down you bunch of pussies .
Where is mr justice??? Let’s await the nonsense he’s going to say about the liars the sheep the government and the utter rubbish this man or woman talks.. we just all need to do our bit and it will quickly be gone and back to normal fingers crossed. There is no conspiracy behind this!!! Or an agenda to take over the world and control us we lost control from the day we were born simple! Pay as you go in this life
Justice has recently said he is taking a back seat back to watch his prophecy come to fruition. He won’t resist posting though I can bet.
Every thing you have said they are doing right now you fool open your eyes
Changed your name again justice to bob
no this is bob the one with his eyes wide open and a free man i dont wear a mask i dont do any lock downs life is good
What a load of rubbish, the sooner we just get on with life the better. This constant scare mongering does nobody any good. Learn to live with it.
An YOU are the problem !!!
Why not stop the tourists from coming onto this Island for a month..?
Children may be mostly immune, but not from being orphans if they lose their parents.
“Children may be mostly immune” no they are not. Get it the same as us all. Just suffer a lot less. Still spread it all around.
Yes and there are many more cases since schools went back so something must be done. When one student or teacher tests positive or has symptoms think how many they could infect. The kids are also allowed to mix more freely than adults but they can still carry and spread, But the six months of restrictions dies give the government time to make a bigger mess of Brexit
And what good would that do? I presume you think that only tourists carry the virus? As a previous comment said, think about what you have said.
IF your child has caught a cold already, then once CV is in the class room, then a foregone that, with it being far more infectious, then they will likely bring that home to you.
Seems we will all be exposed to this at some time now. Hope we are all strong enough to get fully over it.
Not wanting to minimise the clear threat presented by Covid but I have to ask if the risk on the island is really higher than other parts of the country or does our low level just skew the figures?
5 cases out of a population of 140,000 (not counting tourists) is a very small number so even an increase of 1 could be described as a 20% increase if you look at it the wrong way.
As for the mask argument, I’ll be protecting myself and others by distancing and hygiene rather than relying on tiny droplets ignoring the laws of physics and failing to go straight through my mask like they should.
A sensible approach is what’s needed – not panic, hysteria and crowd pleasing knee-jerk measures.
Well said Mark Absolute sense.
We are low risk. If numbers go up In Hampshire apparently that affects our rating.
Does anyone know if there have been any confirmed cases in the Island schools?
Does anyone personally know anyone who has been seriously ill or sadly died Covid? Were they elderly, obese or had underlying health conditions. Thank you.
My wife’s phone says low risk mine says medium so deleted my app as 5cases in last week is neither here nor there
Stop the Ferries loading up to the hilt with people. Last week Red Funnel on Saturday were full and I mean full surely they should have a reduced number so social distancing can work but no crammed to the sides absolutely disgusted they are getting away with this. People were drinking far to much and just laughing at people with masks on and shouting that they had Covid19 it was unbelievable.
I’m in PO33 medium risk. My friend down the road says low risk..
The Island is packed with tourists WHY is that allowed even Red funnel have commented how busy it is for this time of year
It’s “allowed” because people’s jobs depend on it, that’s WHY. You may be quite happy to close down the economy but others are living hand to mouth. Think yourself lucky that you are in such a privileged position, others depend on jobs such hotel and bar work that aren’t exactly high paid or even secure jobs.
Risk level for everyone’s app will go up as we move into October and November. Soon we will look back at times we were comparing risk levels and think ”awww bless” as things are ‘ramping up’ as we hit pooper weather and more Covid issues.
Schools have been rife with over 1,500 schools with confirmed Covid positive cases, this I think is around 5% of all UK schools.
Everyone needs to be careful, hands face space etc. Even the neysayers – please at least respect space of others and reduce contacts with them.
My phone still says low
Yes, let’s close down the economy, let’s have lot’s of left wing liberal protesters on the streets and too hell with the economy.
Lets have packed beaches and more people that don’t give a dam about the cost of the NHS or anything else that we take for granted, in reality it’s down to everyone to take responsibility, not blame everyone else for your irisponsibility.
I think you’ll find it’s equally the far right who are anti-lockdown activists rather than pinning it all on the liberalists.
I think you will find the vast majority are far left anocist who think they are entitled to anything without having to work for it, and most are middle class spoiled little brats that have never done a day’s work in their life.
Just take a look at the green brigades, they all use modern technology, bloody naked hypocrisy…
Just making the point that its extremists at both ends of the spectrum creating issues but thanks for your unnecessary and biased filled rant. I thought you were a more sensible commenter but obviously not.
Reality, there’s no nastiness directed towards your good self from me, we all have our opinions, it would be a very boring world if we all agreed..
That’s fine. I just don’t know why you were sounding off on what was a pretty straightforward observation. For future reference if we comment on future posts I’m a moderate who tries to see both sides but generally tries to counter extremism either way.
It’s amazing that it almost disappeared during the peak season and school holidays and now BOOM, here we go again. It’s fine wearing a mask in shops as It stops the spread, but how many people have touched the food we buy, before we have put it in our shopping baskets.
Wife and I have different risk levels sitting side by side so have unistalled one reloaded it now both have low risk. What a useless App
You obviously don’t understand that different phones different Bluetooth versions and app updates work completely independent of each other so some phones will show the alert level sooner than others, but they will all get there eventually. Stop assuming that everything electronic is intant.
Coach parties are coming here from 2nd most infected place in the country, saying in Shanklin. Is this really a good idea?! Also with the lack of tests being available, why does testing place at Blackwater close so early? 2 out of 3 times I have gone past at just after 4pm it has all been closed up – gates shut!! We just aren’t managing this situation!
Yeah, and the coaches are full of what we are told are the most vulnerable people.
There is no easy answer to any of it. It’s trying to balance health and the economy. If this were a dictatorship with no need to appease voters – and thank god that’s not the case – but if it were and the economy was paramount, there would be no measures except that vulnerable people will not be treated, just left to live or die at home, so as to not overwhelm a health service dealing with usual day to day procedures like life saving cancer treatments etc. Does anyone want that? (Except a handful of people on here.. do they not have parents or grandparents?, it’s no worse than flu darling, I’ll get you some paracetamol on the way to the pub, see you later.. or not) So it’s a balancing act with no easy answer. The only certainty is the nutters always have their two penneth to flip.. but that will always be the case till the end of time.. “Why you building a boat Noah? It’s just a shower..”
Stop people being sent over here for testing! No brainier doh! And anyone else who doesn’t need to come, it’s not hard is it. We could take control of our own fate but yet again we email learned nothing from all of this so far. Here we go again. Get real IOW council! Life means more than money!
I am shocked that island echo has let you post your disgusting comment, you are obviously a complete half wit.
That reply was to a disgusting offensive comment made by a piece of scum going by the name of useyourloaf, should never have been allowed to be posted.
If you you follow the “Definitions of area risk levels” link in the app it goes to the NHS Covid-19 app support website “What is my postcode district risk level” page. If you scroll down it states that in England there are NO local authorities currently classified as low. Have a look.
Oh no it doesn’t mine says low yet more money wasted on an app that doesn’t work.
Is this because of everyone being sent to the island from Hampshire testing positive? (Confirmed in a council meeting recently). Or just islanders? Quaranteen on the ferries are non existent as people have to leave their vehicles during their journey.