A North Yorkshire RAF base is hosting the testing of the NHS contact-tracing app that is planned to be used.
The app works by using Bluetooth which is ubiquitous in all but 12% of smartphones in active use in the UK. Essentially, the app logs whenever the user is in close proximity to another user; if either person later develops symptoms of Covid-19, an alert can be sent out to all those who were in close contact.
Earlier this month, we reported on the Chinese version of the contact-tracing app which is being embedded into existing widely used Chinese apps – We Chat and Ali Pay. The differences between the two apps that can so far be noticed is the type of alert the user receives. The Chinese app uses a traffic light system of red, amber and green to signify what the user should and shouldn’t do; travel, isolate, avoid public spaces etc.
The NHS app uses alerts which state: “You’re ok now” or “You need to isolate yourself and stay at home”.
On the app, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said “The trials are going well. The more people who sign up for this new app when it goes live, the better informed our response will be and the better we can therefore protect the NHS.”
The main concern over the app has been data privacy of users. Some fear data could be used for purposes other than intended, particularly after the pandemic has ceased.
On this issue, Matthew Gould, CIO of NHSX has provided reassurances. He said “NHSX is building a contact-tracing app. As we explore it, we are determined to do so in a privacy-friendly and ethical way. We have worked with the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, and others, ensuring anything we do gives confidence to the public.
“The app would store anonymous proximity information securely on your phone, and will only share that information with the NHS when you allow it to. The data will only ever be used in the interests of providing care, public health management, and relevant research.
“Users will always have the right to delete the app, and their data. When we roll out new technologies throughout this outbreak, we will open source the code wherever possible, enabling the tech community to suggest improvements and help us protect against vulnerabilities, and enabling those with concerns to see exactly what our systems do and how they work.
“And we will continue to encourage our teams to blog openly, and to be led by a real understanding of user needs.”
Additionally, Mr Gould pointed out that the alerts will be sent anonymously so as not to identify those who may be infected.
For the app to be effective, epidemiologists have stated that 80% of smartphone owners will need to utilise the app. ‘Effective’ in this case means to ‘suppress’ rather than ‘slow’ the spread of the virus.
Elsewhere, Netcompany, headquartered in Copenhagen, have been working with Danish health authorities. All Danish citizens can now use ‘COVIDmeter’ to track and record disease symptoms.
The Danish Government also plans to launch a contact-tracing app as a re-opening strategy post-Covid-19.
