'Vital Improvements' Made To StopCOVID NI App

An SDLP MLA has praised the introduction of improvements to the StopCOVID NI app after his own experience with self-isolation.

South Down representative Colin McGrath said the new changes, in particular the function of individualised end dates for self-isolation, will encourage more people to download and cooperate with the app.

The Department of Health yesterday announced the upgrade, which is due to take affect before the end of November. It means that rather than isolating automatically for 14 days after coming into contact with a positive Covid-19 case, individuals will be given a specific date of when their contact occurred and subsequent isolation period can end.

Recent reports suggest that the software has notified over 22,500 users of the need to self-isolate since its introduction in July. The app has been downloaded more than half a million times.

Welcoming the development, Mr McGrath said: "Following my own experience with self isolation after a close contact, I wrote to Minister Swann last month urging him to update the track and trace app to provide a definitive date in which a person's isolation could end.

"Given the app stores every contact a person has had for the past 14 days - it has been possible for people to be alerted about close contact with a positive case many days after they actually last had contact with the person. In such cases there is no need to isolate for 14 days from the alert, but rather 14 days from the last contact. To date the app has been unable to do this and blankly gave a 14 day isolation period from the time of the alert.

"It was my view that this would be helpful and encourage more people to download the app and comply with it. This is particularly important for those who could not work from home and only received statutory sick pay, as it could potentially reduce the number of days isolating."

Under the new changes, if an alert relates to a contact with an infected person that took place five days ago, your end-date for isolation will be nine days from receiving the notification, a total of fourteen days from when the contact occurred.

Quality assurance testing of the new version is currently underway before the updated app can be released to the public.

Mr McGrath added: "The track and trace app is a key tool in the fightback against COVID-19 and it is vital it is as effective as possible. I am pleased that these updates have been made and encourage everyone to download the app and play your part in saving lives."



(JG)