NHS Covid-19 app shortcoming?

[Mick F]

Not been anywhere other than the pub after downloading the app.
Couple of miles with a doggie walk. Usually arrive at the pub soon after opening at noon.

QR code on the front door.
Stop, hold the doggie back coz he's desperate to go in to get biscuits! .............. put on my mask, fish out my iPhone from my pocket and scan the QR code on the door, and we go in.

All well and good.

Leaving after a couple of pints. Only there 45mins or so, and we walk home. Home by 1pm ish. No way of checking a QR code for leaving.
The app seems to have you there until 23:59.

What happens if someone tests positive and was there mid afternoon or into the evening?
I would have been nowhere near them, but the app would alert me and suggest I get a test!

To this end, I've registered our house as an "Other" and downloaded a QR code.
I have now registered myself here, and not at the pub until midnight.

[mjr]

To this end, I've registered our house as an "Other" and downloaded a QR code.
I have now registered myself here, and not at the pub until midnight.

You are not a free household. You are a QR code.

I read the topic title and wondered which of the shortcomings you were going to post!

The 33% false positive rate? Not working on older phones or any phone upgraded by the user rather than the manufacturer? At least doubling the "close contact" distance to at least 4m? The lack of ability to set recurring reminders to switch it on and off as you leave protected locations? Probably tons more yet to be revealed...

[Mick F]

Yep.

Keep them coming!
The idea is great, and I have found only one shortcoming but there must be hundreds. The fact that I've registered our address is fine by me.

We had both daughters and our grandson here over the weekend. Had they been able to register their whereabouts for the 36hrs they were here, can only be a good thing for the database.

[rfryer]

Another shortcoming seems to be that you can install both the England + Wales and Scottish apps, but only one at a time is allowed to warn you about contacts. Which is annoying if you're frequently travelling across the border.

[mercalia]

I got an email message on my windows phone today

This is a public health message from NHS Test and Trace

As part of the government’s coordinated response to Coronavirus, NHS Test and Trace has developed the new NHS COVID-19 app.

It is now available for download to all residents of England and Wales. We strongly recommend that everyone over the age of 16 downloads and uses it.

Download the ‘NHS COVID-19’ app from the App Store or Google Play. There is more information at https://covid19.nhs.uk

any one want to point out the deliberate mistake

yippe I am immune

[Jdsk]

"Give feedback or report a technical problem"
https://faq.covid19.nhs.uk/create-case/

Jonathan

PS: But I don't expect them to try and make it work on a Windows 'phone even if you tell them.

[mjr]

I wonder if the first phishing scam using that text will arrive before dusk.

[geocycle]

I've just had a text asking me to click a link to download the app. I guess it could genuine but no way am I going to click it and see!

[NUKe]

I did wonder about this having logged in to the café at lunch at lunchtime

But there is another elephant in the room, if you have Symptoms and the NHS test you, you cant register your test as either positive or negative you can only register private tests from Serco.[apparently now fixed]

[Syd]

Most of the manual methods I’ve seen have had a similar shortcoming to that pointed out in the OP.

Column for name, telephone number and time of entry. No column for time of exit. Only came across one so far and that was in a small family run cafe in Kirkcaldy.

[Mick F]

I did wonder about this having logged in to the café at lunch at lunchtime

According to them, you'll be there until midnight!
At least we can register ourselves back at home.

......................... you can only register private tests from Serco.

Yet to experiment with that.

Most of the manual methods I’ve seen have had a similar shortcoming to that pointed out in the OP.
Column for name, telephone number and time of entry. No column for time of exit. Only came across one so far and that was in a small family run cafe in Kirkcaldy.

Local places here, you could log in and log back out, but it varied place to place.

[rjb]

Not been anywhere other than the pub after downloading the app.
Couple of miles with a doggie walk. Usually arrive at the pub soon after opening at noon.

QR code on the front door.
Stop, hold the doggie back coz he's desperate to go in to get biscuits! .............. put on my mask, fish out my iPhone from my pocket and scan the QR code on the door, and we go in.

All well and good.

Leaving after a couple of pints. Only there 45mins or so, and we walk home. Home by 1pm ish. No way of checking a QR code for leaving.
The app seems to have you there until 23:59.

What happens if someone tests positive and was there mid afternoon or into the evening?
I would have been nowhere near them, but the app would alert me and suggest I get a test!

To this end, I've registered our house as an "Other" and downloaded a QR code.
I have now registered myself here, and not at the pub until midnight.

The shortcoming is the pub chucks you out at 10pm so you cant be there till midnight.

[landsurfer]

I don't have a mobile phone .... i've never had a mobile phone registered to myself. Ever ....
I went in to a pub in Gainsborough this afternoon, "DOWNLOADED THE APP SIR " said the bright button .... Sorry don't have a phone , " Just your name and address please sir ...." .. i provided a name and address ... and bought my pint of diet coke ......

Now what happens ???

[Mick F]

The shortcoming is the pub chucks you out at 10pm so you cant be there till midnight.

They don't chuck the cleaners out, or the maintenance staff ................... not that I'm one of them of course, but it is a good point.

Even when pubs closed at 10.30 during the week and 11.00 on a Friday and Saturday, there was many a "lock-in" going on, and I don't see why they wouldn't carry on now.

Lots of times we were in a pub with the curtains tightly closed well after midnight. Not that long ago since opening times were "expanded".

[gbnz]

Had it this morning, have to admit to deleting it! My mobile isn't a smart phone, not sure if "apps" are suitable for laptop use?

In any case, I'm fairly sure that if I thought I had a virus, I wouldn't want to cycle a 52 mile round ride into a post industrial area to have a test (Nb. The nearest test centre). Not least as I suspect the main outcome of a test, would be finding myself infected with some NHS germ or another