New NHS App for Contact Chasing

[Old Greg]

But what about when i go to Spain, Germany or France, there is no interoperability there, although the Scottish app uses the same technology as the Irish one there is no interoperability.

It's almost like they are individual countries with devolved governments making similar decisions, but yet it's the English and Wales NHS that are being torn to strips for theirs.

In terms of tearing to strips, when did the English app go live?

[SimonMac]

In terms of tearing to strips, when did the English app go live?

Two weeks after the Scottish one which no one has criticised how long that one took to release even though the Scottish one is just a rebadged Irish one available since July

[Old Greg]

Two weeks after the Scottish one which no one has criticised how long that one took to release even though the Scottish one is just a rebadged Irish one available since July

Do you think some of the criticism stems from the Health Secretary promising in April would be world-beating when launched in May?

[SueEllen]

Do you think some of the criticism stems from the Health Secretary promising in April would be world-beating when launched in May?

Yep this government promises and doesn't deliver.

[SimonMac]

Yep this government promises and doesn't deliver.

Can't argue with that

[Old Greg]

Yep this government promises and doesn't deliver.

Can't argue with that

And there is no need to boast about world-beating and moonshots. It's just daft.

[Whorty]

The handsets must have Android 6.0 (released in 2015) or iOS 13.5 (released in May 2020) and Bluetooth 4.0 or higher. That excludes the iPhone 6 and older versions of Apple's handsets.

Just read this about the versions of IoS and Android that the app works on. Seems a little limiting! I'm on Android 4 so not even an option for me.

And with IoS only as recent as may 2020 ..... hmmmm, hope the Tories are not hoping for a big take up

[darmstadt]

Just read this about the versions of IoS and Android that the app works on. Seems a little limiting! I'm on Android 4 so not even an option for me.

And with IoS only as recent as may 2020 ..... hmmmm, hope the Tories are not hoping for a big take up

As far as I can see, all the other ones require the same level of OS'es to run on and I suspect that is due to the API from Apple and Google to allow the app to run. The main downside I can see to the English one, is there is too much in it, from scanning QR codes to the traffic light system and so on which I think is not needed. All the other ones just do contact tracking, nothing else so are very lightweight. I still don't understand why they just didn't take one that already exists, is opensource and is known to work. They would then be able to talk to at least some other contact tracing apps

[Whorty]

As far as I can see, all the other ones require the same level of OS'es to run on and I suspect that is due to the API from Apple and Google to allow the app to run. The main downside I can see to the English one, is there is too much in it, from scanning QR codes to the traffic light system and so on which I think is not needed. All the other ones just do contact tracking, nothing else so are very lightweight. I still don't understand why they just didn't take one that already exists, is opensource and is known to work. They would then be able to talk to at least some other contact tracing apps

What I would like to see is a website showing active positive tests by post code/town, that I can look at before I travel. Surely we know the post codes of those testing positive, this is in a DB somewhere, so can't be that hard to link to Google Maps. Then, if I want to go to (say) Weston-Super-Mud for an ice-cream I can check beforehand to see if there have been any spikes there recently.

The app is OK to tell me after the event if I might have come in contact with someone, but be better to have some info beforehand so that areas can be avoided.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

As far as I can see, all the other ones require the same level of OS'es to run on and I suspect that is due to the API from Apple and Google to allow the app to run. The main downside I can see to the English one, is there is too much in it, from scanning QR codes to the traffic light system and so on which I think is not needed. All the other ones just do contact tracking, nothing else so are very lightweight. I still don't understand why they just didn't take one that already exists, is opensource and is known to work. They would then be able to talk to at least some other contact tracing apps

I disagree, I think they've got the balance of functionality just right. In fact, it may prove to have been a stroke of genius to add the QR venue checkin feature - a relatively simple thing to do but by making it a legal requirement for most businesses to display these codes and promote the system it encourages uptake of the app (and is also a more privacy-first design vs handing your contact details over to lots of different businesses).