Around 55,000 people are believed to have downloaded the NHS Contact Tracing App, but Conservative Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely says we shouldn’t be complacent.
The Contact Tracing App launched on Tuesday last week for health care and NHS workers during the Coronavirus crisis, but became available to the rest of Island residents on Thursday — with the eventual aim to role the App out nationwide.
Seely: Blueprint for national rollout
Bob Seely, the Isle of Wight’s MP, said he sees the App and users on the Island as producing a blueprint of how to make it a success nationally.
“We shouldn’t be complacent. We need to make sure that everyone who can download it, does so, but those who cannot need to be sending their feedback and we pass it on. We can still do better.
“I want to turn around in two weeks time and challenge the rest of the United Kingdom to do as well as the Isle of Wight — if they think we are not tech savvy, prove it.
“We all have a really important part to play, both to keep us safe and protect St Mary’s and the NHS on the Island but leading the way for the country and we should proud we are doing it.
“By using it, we are giving Dr Geraint Lewis (NHS England’s chief data officer) and the NHS the technical input needed, but also helping technical improvements by providing feedback – how are we using it, how do we find it. That is important.”
He went on to say,
“The Isle of Wight council and myself are going to put together a collection of documents for the United Kingdom to say these are our learning, whether it can operate, how it is protecting the vulnerable — other members of parliament, local governments, need to know.”
No date for national rollout
However, an initial time frame to send the App nationwide was thought to happen by the end of May but, as of yet, no date has been confirmed.
Dr Lewis said the roll out would be a decision from the government — he said,
“Ministers will make the decisions in the next phases.
“We are learning from the Island both in terms of how the App is performing technically – there are a lot of people on the Island with different models of phone or versions of software – but then we are also learning about real life situations and how it affects different sectors, manufacturing, transport and care homes for example.
“It is learning as we go along.”
Has App changed behaviour?
Simon Bryant, director of Public Health for the Island, said they have been learning from the Island’s population — he said,
“They have really embraced this App so we can learn from people — knowing whether they like it or not, does the App change their behaviour.”
Over 55,000 downloads
The number of people who have download the App is thought to be over 55,000 although it is not certain all the downloads are residents of the Island.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may be been made by OnTheWight. Ed
