The NHS has urged people on the Isle of Wight to keep using the Covid-19 smartphone app - despite the news that it won't be rolled out nationally in time for the easing of some lockdown restrictions on June 1.
The Island is leading the way and residents currently have exclusive access to the app, which tracks other devices that the users phone comes into contact with, allowing a prompt response should someone show symptom or contract coronavirus.
It comes as the national 'manual' track and trace scheme launched this week, and the Isle of Wight's MP Bob Seely revealed that around 24 Islanders a day are using the app to report potential coronavirus symptoms.
Dr Geraint Lewis, who is in charge of the development of the NHS Covid-19 app, said:
"There have been issues over the past ten days with updating the app to reflect the recently announced new symptom of anosmia.
"These kinds of issues are all part of an early testing phase, and we want to thank the Isle of Wight community for their patience — resolving and learning from these issues now will lead to a more effective product when the app is released nationally.
"Thanks to the great feedback from residents we are now preparing a bigger update next week, rather than an interim update of one new symptom. Residents will test this updated version of the app before it is released nationally.
"Please keep using the app. It is an important part of the test and trace programme as it essentially gives you fast track access and alerts you to symptomatic contacts who you wouldn’t know about through standard contact tracing.
"Islanders are currently the only people in the UK to have this access and continue to lead the way."
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