NHS Test and Trace App

Here on the Isle of Wight, Island residents are being asked once again to trial a brand new app to support the fight against coronavirus.

Thanks to all the work we put in first time around, a new and much improved app has been developed. Features and functions have been added making it much easier to use – including a built-in QR code scanner which will allow everyone to check in quickly, easily and anonymously to any venue displaying an NHS Test and Trace QR code poster.

Residents on the Isle of Wight will be sent an unique 8-digit code in the post on Friday 14th, and will be able to start using the app immediately, and NHS Test and Trace has asked for the support of the Island’s visitor economy, business and community venue’s in trialling the QR code scanning feature, by generating and downloading posters for every venue across the island.

For now, checking-in to a venue with the app’s QR scanner will sit alongside and support traditional contact tracing at venues, e.g. handwritten lists. But, looking to the future, this could be a way to make the whole process far simple for both customers, and venue managers. The more of us that opt into the trial, the more the technology can be refined and improved.

The NHS Test and Trace app team will be running 2 online sessions (14th and 18th August) to give Island businesses and venues a chance to find out more. During these sessions, the team will be sharing a toolkit of materials that can be used for promotion of the app, and take questions.

The team hope to get a range of different types of businesses and venues participating in this trial and this does give us an opportunity to consider how our local businesses may wish to be involved and to make sure our voices are heard before any national roll out. Please do take the opportunity to sign up to one of the 2 sessions by clicking this link

You can also generate your own QR code poster right now, by visiting https://www.gov.uk/create-coronavirus-qr-poster – there’s no need to attend the briefings to join the trial.

If you would like more information about the trial and are unable to make these briefing sessions or are interested in participating in the QR part of the trial, please email the following iowbriefings@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

I hope the Isle of Wight business community will continue to support efforts to combat the spread of the virus and to help make our Island a safer and more secure place to rebuild our futures.

Steven Holbrook

Chief Executive