Track and Trace - Are You Appy?

"Mr and Mrs Crow" were ordered into self-imposed house arrest by the NHS App recently. They are law- abiding folk and immediately complied even though there was a curiosity as the App only asked them to self-isolate for 10 days rather than 14.

The Crows wondered where they had come into close proximity with the infected person but was told that the information was unavailable and even the alleged date could not be supplied. He duly wrote to Baroness Dido Harding, the Government's unelected Track and Trace supremo; Sir Simon Stevens CE of NHS England; and the Crow's MP, Sajid Javid:

Dear Lady Harding,

NHS Track and Trace

THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION

In the early hours of 4th November my wife and I (both constituents of Sajid Javid MP)  separately received notice to self-isolate for 10 days via the NHS Track and Trace app.

We like to think we are responsible citizens - hence why we downloaded the app in the first place - and if we have been in contact with a Covid carrier then we are obviously prepared to self-isolate for the greater good. We also understand that the app system works on the basis of anonymity.

However, there is nothing on the app which tells us where and when the alleged contact is supposed to have occurred. The system is ordering us into self-imposed house arrest for 10 days with no information whatsoever - a big ask noting the multiple reported failings of the app to date.

We scoured the app but there is no contact point we could find. There are confusing references to receiving contact by email or text but neither of us has heard anything. There is reference to a PHE website but you cannot even sign into that without a mythical “code”.

I contacted the app via the technical query link and received a message back to dial 119. I duly called that line today to be told that my query has nothing to do with them as they only make appointments for tests etc.

We are two days into the house arrest without any information as to when and where this alleged meeting occurred and this is wholly unsatisfactory. All three addressees to this letter have been garlanded with titles for  “public service” and so perhaps one of you can tell us the information we seek?

There has been no response from the Baroness so far but NHS England referred Mr Crow to the App people. They duly responded that the whole thing works on the basis of anonymity and they can't provide ANY information.

Sajid Javid also responded:

"As I understand it, The Track and Trace Service, for data protection reasons, will not release any information about where you may have come into contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, to protect the individual and/or the establishment." [Our emphasis.]

Quite why the App cannot even state the date of the alleged encounter remains a mystery.

All well and good you may think but then this from the BBC News website concerning the Prime Minister:

Mr Hancock also commented in the same BBC piece and did not demur when it was said that a specific meeting was the location of the contact:

It would seem (?) from this that Mr Anderson quite properly contacted Track and Trace who duly contacted the Prime Minister (and others). If that is correct then it is clearly not a data protection breach for the NHS to phone one up and say where the contact occurred and even who it was but this is NOT allowed via the App! What madness is this?

We are, of course, assuming that this is what happened here and wonder why neither the MP or PM apparently use the App (apart from possible security reasons for the latter) which is not a great advert for it. If we are wrong and the App was used then clearly the NHS CAN provide information to those on high like Boris but not to mere plebs.

Given that this whole system relies of public confidence and the government is asking its citizens to deprive themselves of their liberty we still feel that some sort of explanation from Number 10 or Baroness Harding is warranted here!

(We are happy to report that Mr and Mrs C self-isolated and didn't succumb to any symptoms other than a nasty taste in the mouth.)

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