Does the NHS COVID-19 app identify me?

Does the NHS COVID-19 app identify me?

The app does not identify you or your location to other app users.

Can I be traced via the NHS COVID-19 app?

The system gives a high level of privacy protection, as the app does not collect or transfer any information that tells us who or where you are. This also means it cannot tell the NHS, people and organisations who have contributed to the development of the app, or any other app user, who or where you are.

How does the NHS COVID-19 App identify a close contact?

From these details, the app uses a scoring mechanism to determine the app user's level of risk of getting COVID-19 as a result of close contact with an app user who may be infectious. If the risk of infection is significant, the app will issue an alert.

Does the NHS COVID-19 app store my IP address?

Your IP address (a unique identifier for your phone when you use the internet) is automatically shared with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) when you share data through the App. DHSC does not use your IP address however and deletes it as soon as it is received. Like every other app, our app uses the internet to work which requires the use of the IP address.

The application is reviewed and tested to make sure that there never exists functionality that collects, logs, retransmits or stores the IP addresses received within HTTP headers. This minimises the possibility of recombining IP address and payload data.

Does the COVID-19 app collect personal data?

• The app holds personal data, however, we do not collect personal data. For example, your app will hold details of the venues you have visited but this is not shared with us

Does the NHS COVID-19 app gather analytical data?

Each 6-hour period, the app collects a summary count of key information. This is called the analytical data set and helps us monitor the use, performance and information about the app and its use. The data is prepared and will be sent to central systems where it used for assurance of the app, technical checks and the public health functions. It does not include the data held on your app about specific venues or your close contacts.

Does the NHS COVID-19 app protect your privacy?

The app has been designed with user privacy in mind, so it tracks the virus, not people and uses the latest in data security technology to protect privacy. The system generates a random ID for an individual's device, which can be exchanged between devices via Bluetooth (not GPS).

These unique random IDs regenerate frequently to add an extra layer of security and preserve anonymity. The app does not hold personal information such as your name, address or date of birth, and only requires the first half of your postcode to ensure local outbreaks can be managed.

Does the NHS COVID-19 app delete my data if I delete the app?

If you choose to delete the app, you will not receive any notifications (alerts) from the app about coronavirus (COVID-19) and the data stored by the app on your phone will be deleted. If you decide to install the app again, you will need to provide the requested information again.

How does the NHS COVID-19 app protect users' anonymity while tracking the cases?

The app uses complex cryptography to protect you and other app users' anonymity while enabling diagnosis keys to be matched with a relevant broadcast key when relevant. Where there are matches, you will get an alert that you've been in contact with someone who tested positive.

How does the National Health Service (NHS) app prevent re-identification?

Only those with access to the app will have details of the venues checked into. No details about which venues a user has checked into is included in the analytical data set or provided to the use.

What is manual contact tracing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Manual contact tracing involves asking an infected person to remember who they have been in contact with; the person can only identify the people they know.

Can I have close contact with people if I'm wearing a mask during COVID-19?

While wearing a mask, you should still keep physical distance from others as much as possible. Wearing a mask does not mean you can have close contact with people.

How does Evushield for COVID-19 work?

Developed by AstraZeneca, Evusheld is a combination of two long-acting antibodies that works by binding to the spike protein on the outside of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the virus that causes COVID-19. This in turn prevents the virus from attaching to and entering human cells.

What happens during a venue check-in on the NHS COVID-19 app?

Venue check-ins add a count of the venue check-ins during the 6-hour analytical period. Where the check-in fails or is abandoned this is counted as well. This data is used to ensure the QR venue check in is working as expected as well as give a sense of how app users are using the function and the potential impacts.

Can personal data collected for NHS Test and Trace be used for other purposes?

Personal data that is collected for NHS Test and Trace, which you would not collect in your usual course of business, must be used only to share with NHS Test and Trace.

It must not be used for other purposes, including marketing, profiling, analysis or other purposes unrelated to contact tracing, or you will be in breach of GDPR. You should make your staff aware of what they should and shouldn't do with customer information.

How does the National Health Service (NHS) app protect user's privacy?

The technique used to provide app users with their correct result also ensure that the identity of the user is protected. When the app recommends a test for users it requests three separate tokens. These are generated by services outside of the app and are not recorded in the app. They are unique and anonymous and cannot be derived from each other or any other information.

These three tokens allow the correct information to be returned to the correct user whilst maintaining their privacy and ensuring that data cannot be linked. We dealt the tokens promptly once we’ve updated the relevant app.

Which company designed the NHS COVID-19 app to protect the privacy and identity of the users?

This system is designed by Apple and Google to protect the privacy and identity of app users, making their use of the app anonymous.

Can I delete the COVID-19 app?

Right to be forgotten. You can choose to delete the app and the data it contains.

How often does the National Health Service (NHS) app update data?

The app is updated by the central systems (product environment), on average, every 2 hours. The central system provides all app users with three key sets of data. Every app user receives the same information, called reference material, which the app uses to determine if you need to receive an alert or advice. These are:

• the list of Diagnosis Keys from app users who have tested positive. This functionality keeps the identity of app users anonymous to other app users
• the list of all postcode districts and their current risk level
• the list of venues that could pose a risk, as determined by Health Protection Teams and the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC)

How long after having COVID-19 can I get the spring booster vaccine?

If you are unwell, wait until you have recovered to have your vaccine. If you have had confirmed COVID-19 you should ideally wait 4 weeks before having your spring booster.

Do I have to follow the NHS COVID-19 pass when I go to a venue?

As part of the Living with COVID strategy, from 1 April it will no longer be advised for domestic venues and events to use the NHS COVID pass.

Who might benefit from dexamethasone if they have COVID-19?

Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid used in a wide range of conditions for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects.

It was tested in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the United Kingdom’s national clinical trial RECOVERY and was found to have benefits for critically ill patients.

How is the COVID-19 test performed?

These tests (sometimes called ‘swab’ or ‘antigen’ tests) check to see if you are currently infected with the virus.

The swab sample is taken from your nose and throat.

Alternatively, a saliva sample might be used.

This sample is then tested to see if you have the virus.

Can you catch COVID-19 after 2 doses of vaccines?

Although 2 doses of vaccine will greatly reduce your own risk of becoming unwell with COVID-19, it is still possible to contract the virus and pass it to others.

Can the coronavirus disease spread through the air in rooms?

In poorly ventilated rooms the amount of virus in the air can build up, increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19, especially if there are lots of infected people in the room. The virus can also remain in the air after an infected person has left.