Another blow to UK's Test and Trace app

Another blow to UK's Track and Trace app

Another blow to UK’s Test and Trace as the New Covid-19 tracing app cannot register tests that have been carried out in NHS hospitals or by Public Health England labs bring the governments botched app under even more intense scrutiny.
Officials have admitted the problem after numerous members of the public took to social media to complain of the further ineptitude of the test and trace app process. The app has been in the trial and testing phase since May.
The app, which was finally released for download on Thursday after numerous issues and delays, has been heralded by Health Secretary, Matt Hancock as an “important step forward” in the UK’s ongoing fight against coronavirus transmission.
However, only two days after the launch, the public are already up in arms at the pointless nature of the app and its lack of integration with the primary health service provided tests in England.
It has now been ascertained that only tests carried out by private outsourcing companies such as Deloitte and Serco have codes that work within the app’s current development.
This is yet another blunder along the Governments road to an efficient Test and Trace programme meaning that there are potentially tens of thousands of people who of negative and positive results that are going unrecorded.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a statement saying that they are aware of the issue and are working hard to resolve it.
However, this issue is unfortunately not the only one to plague the new app at the centre of the Governments Test and Trace strategy.
In yet another blow to the UK’s Test and Trace strategy, it has been discovered that a large volume of cases have discovered that the app is also not allowing users to enter a negative result and subsequently treating them as positive patients and telling them to isolate for 14-days.
The additional bug is said to occur if people who are concerned of their symptoms do not book their test directly through the app. This second major issue, in only two days, is thought to have affected over 60,000 users in England already.
Fundamentally, the purpose of the app was planned to assist the general public with management of the risks associated with the coronavirus and enable them a quick and streamlined process to get tested. It was also designed to enable those who have been exposed to the virus, by being in close proximity to an infected person, to take responsible action to prevent further spread to those around them.
In a twitter exchange between a member of the public and the app’s support team, it was highlighted that the app had issues, specifically not being able to input NHS test results.


The app’s support team confirmed, “If your test took place in a Public Health England lab or NHS hospital, or as part of national surveillance testing conducted by the Office for National Statistics, test results cannot currently be linked with the app whether they’re positive or negative.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) stated, “We are urgently working to enable positive tests for people who aren’t already given a code to be added to the Covid-19 App.”
“NHS Test and Trace will continue to contact people by text, email or phone if your test is positive, advising you to self-isolate and for those who don’t have a code the contact tracers will shortly be able to provide codes to insert in the app.”
“If you book your test via the app the results will be automatically recorded in the app and the isolation countdown will be updated.”
Shadow Health Minister, Jonathan Ashworth, launched at the opportunity to condemn the Government over yet another Track and Trace faux-pas, asking, “Have they really launched an app that doesn’t actually link to tests carried out by NHS hospital labs & PHE labs instead only including tests carried out via the outsourced lighthouse lab network??”
Official have advised that they are working hard to correct the issues inherent at the app’s launch.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article “Another blow to UK’s Test and Trace app”. For more coronavirus-related news, visit the Euro Weekly News website.
Euro Weekly News is delighted to continue be able to bring you a range of News that doesn’t cost you anything but your internet connection. Whether it’s Local Spanish News or International Entertainment News, we’ve got you covered!
Euro Weekly News, the people’s paper, we lead others follow!

Author badge placeholder
Written by

Chris Kidd

Chris has spent a colourful and varied international career in the Arts followed by a substantial career in Education. Having moved to Spain in 2019 for a different pace and quality of life with his fiancé, he has now taken up a new and exciting role working with the online department of Euro Weekly News. Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

Comments