Speaking at the daily Downing Street press briefing yesterday (11 June), the health secretary said the delayed contact-tracing app would only be brought in “when it’s right to do so”.
Hancock said: “As we launched 'NHS Test and Trace', we were clear we want to embed this system and get confidence that people are following the advice that’s given by human beings before introducing the technological element”.
The Government has rowed back on claims made when the app was first announced in mid-April, when it insisted the app would be central to its test, track and trace strategy. Originally, the app was due to be ready for a full countrywide rollout by late May.
Developed by NHSX, the technology arm of the NHS, the app is intended to send a notification warning to the smartphone's owner when they have come into close proximity with someone infected with Covid-19. It uses Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology to determine when another app user,...