A coronavirus contact tracing app developed for the NHS will be rolled out for testing on the Isle of Wight this week - according to the Transport Secretary. Grant Shapps confirmed this morning (Sunday) that the software will start to be tested on the Isle of Wight this week - after days of suggestion. It's believed that the Isle of Wight has been chosen as a test area for the app due to its isolated and controllable nature in comparison to other locations. The app, developed by the digital arm of the health service NHSX, will use bluetooth technology to identify who a person has come into contact with, but won't track where people are or have been. Users phones will record who they've come within six feet of for at least 15 minutes, if the user develops symptoms, they can inform the NHS, triggering an alert to be sent to other users they have come into contact with. Speaking to Sky News, Transport Secretary Mr Shapps said the app will be completely confidential, and information collected will not identify the individual using the app: "It will be the best possible way to help the NHS, in fact it will be an NHS app. It will be completely confidential, the information doesn't stay on there, you don't know who the individuals are, but what it will do is alert someone if they've been near someone who has coronavirus." He added: "The idea is that we will encourage many as people to take this up as possible. "I appreciate for various reasons that not everybody will download it." Approximately 50%-60% of people on the Isle of Wight will need to download the app for it to work properly. Further information on the apps testing is due to be released by Government tomorrow. It has previously been suggested that areas that trial the contact-tracing app could also have coronavirus lockdown measures eased earlier. However, the Island’s conservative administration distanced themselves from the claims, ruling out anything which could potentially put lives at risk. Read more here. Speaking exclusively to Isle of Wight Radio earlier this month, the Island’s MP Bob Seely said he welcomes the news of an app trial here. He said: “The Island’s got a fantastic reputation for innovation, stretching back a couple of centuries now, lots of great science was done on the Island and some fantastic ideas were piloted here and even now we do really amazing work. “If I can get schemes piloted on here like apps to make people’s lives safer and if it’s good for the Island and it’s good for the country, bring it on.”
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