Will You Be Downloading and Using the New NHS COVID-19 Apps?

neilmcl

Be_Happy said:

I will download once I'm sure of 2 points.

Does the app clearly show the length of contact time?  I don't want to be forced to walk past someone for seconds where a pavement narrows and then end up self-isolating for 14 days.
Secondly, are people contacted when someone notifies that they have covid or is it only after they have had a positive test?  It seems that the vast majority of tests turn out to be negative despite people thinking they have it.  Don't want the morons who used to empty schools, shops etc with bomb hoaxes thinking it would be funny to notify they have covid and causing others to be self-isolated.

I also don't see how a place with so few potential covid cases can be used for the trial.

Yes, I believe contact time is taken into account to adjust for any false positives.

bobblebob

So whats stopping someone just claiming they have symptoms or COVID as a joke just to trigger alerts?

If some thing is open to abuse, you can bet someone will

DoaM

Yes, I know - it's from the Daily Fail - but it seems to show how the app is intended to work:

neilmcl

bobblebob said:

So whats stopping someone just claiming they have symptoms or COVID as a joke just to trigger alerts?

If some thing is open to abuse, you can bet someone will

I'm sure there will but users will only be told to fully isolate if the original contact is tested and shown positive, or enough of the other random contacts start reporting symptoms. Don't forget the app on it's own is not going to be that much use, other than a reporting tool, unless it's backed up by testing.

RumRat

https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/05/nhs-sources-criticise-contact-tracing-app/

https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/05/nhs-app-could-use-apple-api/
What a fiasco.....

neilmcl

RumRat said:

https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/05/nhs-sources-criticise-contact-tracing-app/

https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/05/nhs-app-could-use-apple-api/
What a fiasco.....

This is exactly what testing is for and any IT department (the NHS in this instance) worth it's salt will always keep an eye on the alternatives. There's no evidence that Apple's or Google's apps are any better.

RumRat

neilmcl said:

RumRat said:

https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/05/nhs-sources-criticise-contact-tracing-app/

https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/05/nhs-app-could-use-apple-api/
What a fiasco.....

This is exactly what testing is for and any IT department (the NHS in this instance) worth it's salt will always keep an eye on the alternatives. There's no evidence that Apple's or Google's apps are any better.

Well they couldn't be any worse.....I'll give it a miss and carry on staying out of the way of the great unwashed.....

bob_a_builder

Well the source code has now been released, so people can check it out its lack of security or not ( assuming its the real source code, of course)
Also tests reported here claim that the Bluetooth issue is not such an issue
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52579547

Source code + docs
https://github.com/NHSX

debitcardmayhem

Ok a scenario , may be a bit far fetched but hey I have nothing else to do

I am 4 feet away from someone for 3 minutes, the next day they test positive  and at some time in the not too distant future this all seeing app detects that their bluetooth was in close proximity of mine and I get a push notification that I should quarantine for 2 weeks or until I show symptoms/or maybe the government send a tester,good idea you say,

Problem with that is I was sitting in the passenger seat of the car waiting for the lights to change and the poor person who tested positive was in the next car on my side or was a pedestrian waiting for the lights too.  The app needs to have location data too, and of course that plus bluetooth power drain.

OK thanks for watching this far fetched screenplay

sleepymans

No I won’t be downloading any government or nhs apps.
......even if I would be forced to remain in isolation unless I do so.

Not desperate to use public transport, aeroplanes or go into any supermarket or pub or restaurant for a very very long time either!