Fewer contacts will be notified to self-isolate following updates to the NHS COVID-19 Track and Trace app
The NHS Track and Trace app has been updated to look back at close contacts 2 days prior to a positive COVID-19 test instead of the original 5 days.
The update has been made in the hope that fewer contacts will be pinged to self-isolate, however, it will not affect the number of high-risk contacts being advised to self-isolate.
Self-isolation
The UK Government is still urging the public to continue using the app as restrictions lift.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:
“We want to reduce the disruption that self-isolation can cause for people and businesses while ensuring we’re protecting those most at risk from this virus. This update to the app will help ensure that we are striking the right balance.
“It’s so important that people isolate when asked to do so in order to stop the spread of the virus and protect their communities.”
Fully vaccinated
Dr Jenny Harries, CEO of UK Health Security Agency, said:
“The NHS COVID-19 app is a really practical example of how technology can be used to fight the biggest challenges we face in protecting and improving our health.
“The app is the simplest, easiest, and fastest way to find out whether you have been exposed to the virus, and it has saved thousands of lives over the course of this pandemic.
“I strongly encourage everyone, even those fully vaccinated, to continue using the app. It is a lifesaving tool that helps us to stay safe and to protect those closest to us as we return to a more familiar way of life.”
