ENGLAND and Wales's coronavirus tracing app was released days ago, weeks after the launch of the Protect Scotland software.
There has been some confusion over which app to use among people who frequently go between the nations for work, and those living in Border communities.
There are key differences between the two apps’ functions and how they are used, particularly with certain tests south of the Border not linking in with the app.
Here, we will answer some of the frequently asked questions regarding the software.
I travel a lot – do I need both?
When you’re in Scotland you should use the Protect Scotland and when you’re in England or Wales Wales you should use the NHS Covid-19 app.
These apps do not contact trace simultaneously – so when you cross the Border you will need to open the local app and turn on contact tracing within.
READ MORE: Protect Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon urges Scots to download Covid app
Doing this will bring up a message which says: “Switch app for exposure notifications?”
This will switch off the other app and allow the relevant software to do the work.
How does the English and Welsh app work?
Every day the app, which runs on software developed by Apple and Google, creates a new code for your device which is stored in your phone. Every 15 minutes it produces another random code which is shared and stored on all devices it is close to via Bluetooth.
When someone tests positive they can choose to allow their phone share these codes with other app users. The app shares the codes to a central Department for Health and Social Care server that pushes codes to user app users. If there are matches and the app judges there is a high risk of infection (based on the two users’ proximity and time spent near each other), it will send out an alert saying they have been in touch with someone who tested positive. It will not provide any details about that person. Users will be urged to self-isolate, but they do not legally need to follow this advice.
If you book a test via the app itself it will generate a code that allows people to link their test result with the app automatically.
However currently only pillar 2 tests – testing done in the wider community – produce a compatible code. If you receive a test in a Public Health England lab or NHS hospital or as part of national surveillance testing by the ONS, your result cannot be linked with the app.
The NHS Covid-19 app also allows people to check their symptoms, order a test, offers a self-isolation countdown and provides a risk level of someone’s local area.
It collects very little personal information – it does not know your name, email address or phone number. When it is first downloaded it asks for the first part of your postcode so officials know where the app is being used and can provide risk updates.
For full details visit the NHS Covid-19 site.
How do I get the English and Welsh app?
The app is only available for smartphones. To download, head to Android’s Google Play or Apple’s App Store and search “NHS Covid-19”.
How does the Scottish app work?
Like the English and Welsh app, the Protect Scotland system works on software developed by Apple and Google and exchanges anonymous encrypted random codes with other phones with the app installed.
When it finds another user it records the contact, the distance between your phones and the length of time your phone was near theirs, all anonymously.
If you test positive for Covid-19 you can choose to input the Test Code, provided to you by the contact tracer, into the app. Other users the app judges you have been in close contact with are then notified. If someone you have been in close contact with inputs their Test Code, you will receive a notification. You will still be contacted by a contact tracer directly if the person you were near to who tested positive gave tracers your details.
The app’s main function is the Bluetooth proximity tracing, and it does not feature symptom tracking or risk assessment features.
The app does not hold private information, know who you are, or know where you have been. It cannot identify you or track your movements.
How do I get the Scottish app?
Visit protect.scot and follow the instructions provided.
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