Brief

The NHS COVID-19 app was a voluntary contact tracing app for monitoring the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in England and Wales. It was available for download on the App Store and Google Play from 24 September 2020, and could be used by anyone aged 16 or over. The app was developed by NHSX, the technology arm of the NHS, in collaboration with a number of private companies.

Features

The NHS COVID-19 app had a number of features, including:

• Contact tracing: The app used Bluetooth technology to track other app users who were nearby. If a user tested positive for COVID-19, they could notify the app, which would then send alerts to other users who had been in close contact with them. This allowed people to self-isolate and get tested, even if they did not have any symptoms.
• QR code scanning: The app could be used to scan QR codes at venues, such as pubs and restaurants. This allowed businesses to record the contact details of their customers, so that they could be contacted if someone who had been at the venue tested positive for COVID-19.
• NHS COVID Pass: The app could be used to generate a digital NHS COVID Pass, which could be used to prove that a user had been vaccinated against COVID-19, had tested negative for COVID-19, or had recovered from COVID-19. This was required for entry to certain events and venues in some countries.

Pros

• The NHS COVID-19 app was a valuable tool for helping to track and slow the spread of COVID-19.
• It was easy to use and available for free.
• The app was voluntary, so users could choose to use it or not.
• The app used privacy-enhancing technologies to protect the privacy of users.

Cons

• The NHS COVID-19 app was not perfect. It was only able to track other app users who were also using the app, and it was not always accurate in identifying close contacts.
• The app also had a number of technical issues, such as battery drain and problems with notifications.
• Some people were concerned about the privacy implications of using the app.

Conclusion

The NHS COVID-19 app was a valuable tool for helping to track and slow the spread of COVID-19. It was easy to use and available for free, and it used privacy-enhancing technologies to protect the privacy of users. However, the app was not perfect and had a number of technical issues.

Updates

The NHS COVID-19 app was updated regularly to add new features and fix bugs. The most recent update was released on 24 April 2023, and added a number of new features, including:

• The ability to scan QR codes to generate an NHS COVID Pass for travel.
• The ability to order lateral flow tests from within the app.
• The ability to view your NHS COVID vaccination record.

Discontinuation

On 27 April 2023, the UK government announced that the NHS COVID-19 app would be discontinued. The government said that the app was no longer necessary, as the COVID-19 pandemic had subsided.

The app is no longer available for download on the App Store or Google Play.