All English tourists visiting the Isle of Wight this Bank Holiday weekend will be able to download and use the NHS Test and Trace app, ahead of the trial’s national roll-out.
Access to the app will be extended to allow visitors arriving on the Island from the mainland to use the NHS QR ‘check-in’ feature at venues, such as pubs and restaurants, which are displaying the NHS QR poster.
Visitors will be able to continue to use the app after returning home.
App ambassadors are working with ferry companies Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel to distribute leaflets containing 8-digit unique codes to those visiting the Island, explaining how to use the function.
They will be handing out flyers at Portsmouth, Southampton, Southsea terminals and onboard the Victoria of Wight and St Clare Wightlink vehicle ferries from the 27th to the 31st August, while adhering to the government’s strict social distancing guidelines and wearing face masks and gloves.
Similar leaflets have already been provided to St Mary’s Hospital, Newport. Any residents who have lost their letter and require a new code can ask for a leaflet at this location.
Isle of Wight Council leader, Dave Stewart, said:
“I am pleased to support the re-introduction of the app and the widening of its availability to visitors to our Island.
Article continues below this advertisement “It helps to keep everyone safe and is an extra tool in our toolbox for tackling the virus.
“I have downloaded it myself and I would encourage everyone that can to do so as well. The Island has led on the development of the app and can now support government as it moves towards national roll-out
“These next steps have my full support.”
Keith Greenfield, Wightlink chief executive, said:
“We are pleased to support the NHS Test and Trace App by welcoming the ambassadors onboard our ferries this weekend. It is important that visitors take part in the Island initiative to reduce the spread of Covid-19 by improving contact tracing.”
Fran Collins, chief executive of Red Funnel, said:
“We are very happy to support this next phase of the app test and do everything we can to help make it a success.
“We appreciate that many of those travelling with us over the next few days will be heading out to enjoy their holiday weekend, but we hope they will take a moment to learn more about NHS Test and Trace and consider getting involved.”
Dont waste ya breath.visitors have been coming in droves here too escape for ages.spreading.as lonv as they get there holiday and go home they dont care about islanders.as for us downloading…..again…jog on.im sick of people wearing masks off nose hanging on chin or lots just not fussed tbh..if it spreads again then and only then poss people will take heed.
People dont keep there distance and younger lots just push past as they always did.
Ignorant too hilt.
Iv had too isolate and still dislike going into anywhere as people are tol slack .big coop in cowes didnt even bother too keep towel/wipes stocked up on entry for hands baskets.noone at door no more.less is done for sure now.i keep my hand gel i use a lot as its not always there.
Why wear a mask in a shop if not all staff do
Pointless.
Kids pass on so get masks on em .its not hard
Good luck with that, if they can be bothered in between moaning about queues, social distancing,wearing masks , not enough room on the beach and having to wait more than 5 minutes for their meals.
Would be of far more use to stop them coming for TWO WEEKS pre schools restarting.
Now those shop owners and Cllrs have had a good Summer season, there should have been no ‘need’ to risk our children’s health for a few more ices sold, not this close to children returning to school.
A couple of weeks ‘break’ from tourists would have made it far more easy to then check and see if our children were showing any signs of developing CV DURING the two week ‘tourist free’ then observation period, before sending them.
Too late now. Profit before children’s health. Know how Jesus felt with Judas a little more clearly now.
Absolute waste of time. Nobody cares anymore. Shops don’t enforce mask wearing I see loads not bothering or on ferries loads not wearing them nobody bothers to social distance anymore. If we get another wave it won’t be a surprise. Dave Stewart is more interested in making money from the visitors and us islanders to care. Just look at the parking fees!
Well when we have 3 days on the trot and no deaths in the uk, what do you expect! But this was going to kill hundreds of thousands, yeah right! The evidence, and they still believe, pmsl!
Yet again, lets change the rules, wonders why?
No mention of how many people on the island have supposedly downloaded this new app, so……..
I can only assume, not as many as they thought have, and they are just making it available to loads more people.
Also, what is the point of the visitors keeping it on their phone when getting home where no one else has it?
A total waste of time! !
Using the OR code to check in – how do you check out, just cancel?