To this, the Prime Minister simply reiterated that people should follow NHS advice. It was put to the Prime Minister that people doing the right thing, ie downloading the app, could be the ones who were penalised by fines if they didn’t then fully comply people who didn’t know they had the virus would continue to mingle with others without being fined. I don’t want to add extra burdens on the police at all but what they must do now is help the public stop the spread of the virus.” Johnson did not address this issue but said: “Self isolation is the best way to stop the spread of the virus.
This is because of the app’s reliance on Bluetooth signals, which can be affected by nearby objects. The government has spelt out that this could include business owners who threaten self-isolating staff with redundancy if they do not come to work.Ī problem with the app is that one in three people told to isolate by the app will have been given a “false positive”, in which it will have wrongly calculated they had been within two metres of an infectious person for 15 minutes. New fines for those breaching self-isolation rules will start at £1,000 – bringing this in line with the penalty for breaking quarantine after international travel – but could increase to up to £10,000 for repeat offences and for the most egregious breaches, including for those preventing others from self-isolating. People who have come into contact with those with the virus will be required by law to self-isolate from 28 September, supported by payment of £500 for those on lower incomes who cannot work from home and have lost income as a result. When this was put to him by the BBC, Johnson said: “If you’re told you’ve come into contact with someone with coronavirus you must follow the NHS advice.” He will say today that the launch is “an important step forward”, and urge people to use the app “to protect themselves and their loved ones”. However, health secretary Matt Hancock has said the downloading of the app, NHS COVID-19, is not compulsory. “The crucial thing is to follow the guidance,” he said. He said he wasn’t in parliament to support his chancellor because it was vital to meet the police and spell out the “corollaries” of failing to comply. Starmer calls for ‘firing and rehiring’ ban as unemployment growsĪutumn redundancies in the UK could exceed 450,000
Find out more information about how to apply through the COVID-19 app, on NHS COVID-19 app support.Unite union: Extend furlough to avoid ‘redundancy floodgatesĬBI highlights two-speed economic recovery You may be entitled to a payment of £500 under the Test, Trace, Protect self-isolation support scheme. When you reach the end of your self-isolation period, the app will send you a notification reminder with a link to the latest advice for you. If you have been advised by the app to self-isolate, the app provides a countdown timer so that you can keep track of how long you need to self-isolate.
If you have coronavirus symptoms, the app will take you to a website where you can book a test to see if you have coronavirus or not. If you feel unwell, you can use the app to check if your symptoms could be related to coronavirus (COVID-19). This will help you make daily decisions to protect yourself and those you love. If it is, you will also receive a notification to let you know. You can check the app every day to see whether where you live has become a high risk area for coronavirus. When you first register for the app you will be asked for the first half of your postcode. If you are under 18, you are advised to show this alert to a trusted adult. If any of those users later test positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), you will receive an exposure alert with advice on what to do.
The app detects and logs other nearby app users using random unique IDs.
If you choose to download the app, five key features will help you and your community.