| NHS Test and Trace Service results in line with the recognised metric of success for contact tracing services across the world Newham residents will be the first to trial the new NHS Test and Trace app ahead of a national roll-out and will receive unique codes in the post to download the app App features include – alerts based on postcode, QR check-in at venues, symptom checker and test booking The app will work alongside enhanced contact tracing services and testing to help minimise the spread of Covid-19 A new NHS Test and Trace app will be trialled with residents in Newham from this week, as well as on the Isle of Wight and to NHS Volunteers Responders across England, as part of the country’s NHS Test and Trace service. Residents in Newham will receive unique codes to give them early access to download the app via email and post. They will be part of a three-week trial period as the NHS Test and Trace programme rigorously evaluates the app in real-world settings to monitor performance and identify improvements ready for national launch. The app needs to be tested in different ways with different groups that represent the whole of the UK. Newham is an area with a diverse population who might be more at risk to the virus so trialling the app here will ensure that it meets the needs of a range of different communities. The NHS Test and Trace app has been designed to work alongside traditional contact tracing services and testing, to help people to understand if they are at risk of infection so they can take action to protect themselves and their communities. It uses the latest in security technology and is designed with user privacy in mind so it tracks the virus, not people. England’s NHS Test and Trace programme has worked closely with major tech companies, including Google and Apple, scientists within the Alan Turing Institute, medical experts, privacy groups, at-risk communities and teams in countries across the world such as Germany using similar apps, to develop a state-of-the-art app that is safe, simple and secure. Chair of Newham CCG, Dr Muhammad Naqvi said “A fully functional contact tracing app is an important part of the suite of strategies we have employed to help reduce transmission. We need to trace close-proximity contacts as quickly and accurately as possible. This is especially important when we may come into contact with people that we may not know or even remember meeting.” “A successful pilot in Newham with a contact tracing app that can do this, will help us to return to a more normal way of engaging in activities such as work and social interaction with friends and family – knowing that our contacts can be quickly informed we get infected.” Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz said: “We know that Newham has seen some of the most significant impacts of Covid-19 due to the health inequalities and vulnerabilities in our communities. “With the threat of Covid-19 still with us, it’s vital we support our residents to keep safe and help others. The app is a welcomed addition to all the measures that our public health team have put in place working closely with our local health partners. “With its easy to use features, the app will be available in different languages and comes with the assurance that personal data stays with the user so that people’s privacy is protected. “By taking part in this early phase to trial of the app before its national roll-out, we’ll be working closely with all sections of our diverse community through our Covid-19 Health Champions network and neighbourhood outreach teams, building on our innovation in creating a unique array of resources to support our community through this unprecedented time of challenge”. The app uses the latest in security technology to protect people’s privacy – the system generates a random ID for an individual’s device, which can be exchanged between devices to monitor the spread of the virus while rotating frequently to prevent tracking. The app has a range of additional, enhanced features that will help to reduce personal and public risk from COVID-19 as part of the end-to-end Test and Trace service:
Thank you, Primary Care Team |
