Government refuses to reveal how many times contact tracing has been disabled on the Covid app | Coronavirus

Sajid Javid’s health department declined to reveal how many people have disabled contact tracing on the Covid app.

The government has admitted it knows the number but has refused to release it – prompting speculation ministers were embarrassed that their test and trace system is not as ‘global’ as promised.

Some people – including Tory MPs – have reported either deleting the app or permanently disabling contact tracing, fearing an “epidemic outbreak” could unnecessarily force people into self-isolation.

More than 2.1 million alerts urging people to self-isolate were sent in July in England alone, leading to a disruption of services including public transport, bin collection and food supplies.

After initially resisting calls to change the app to decrease its sensitivity, the health secretary said the technology would be changed so that only people who came into contact with a positive Covid case two days before would be crazy, instead of five.

But trust in the app already seemed to have waned, with the number of new downloads within a week dwindling. According to a Savanta ComRes poll from mid-July, 19% of UK adults said they had already deleted the app and 20% said they planned to delete it.

People can also keep the app but turn off contact tracing, eliminating the need for Bluetooth technology that scans nearby devices to alert users if someone comes into close contact with later tests positive.

When asked in a Freedom of Information request from the Guardian how many people had permanently turned off contact tracing, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) admitted it had the relevant data . But he said the information was “withheld” under an exemption, known as “section 22”, allowing him to release the figure on an unspecified date.

The DHSC said it had assessed “as objectively as possible” whether it was in the public interest to release the information and that it would lead to “greater transparency in government”, it had decided to block the publication for now to ensure that it was “made available to everyone at the same time”. He declined to give a timescale on when that would happen.

Justin Madders, a shadow health minister, said it was ‘typical of this government to withhold information when it is not in their interests’. He asked, “What do they have to hide?” Either the NHS app works or their chaos, confusion and mixed messaging around the app has caused people to delete it en masse. If it is the latter, ministers must acknowledge their failures and explain how they plan to regain control of contact tracing. »

Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, said it was “disappointing to see the government trying to cover up the shortcomings of its seemingly failing test and trace programme”.

She added: “The government must publish all data held relating to test and trace to allow for greater transparency and public scrutiny. If test and trace still really beats the world, what do they have to hide? »

The government recently said it had no figures on how many people have taken down the Covid-19 app. Health Minister Jo Churchill said: ‘We are considering what further metrics we could publish on app usage.

Watford GP Dr Simon Hodes said at least 60 per cent of the population needed to use the app and contact tracing was on for it to be effective, but many people seemed to be deleting the app . “As we emerge from lockdown, with cases still at high levels, it would be very useful to know detailed data on app usage. The lower the usage, the less useful the app becomes,” did he declare.

It comes after Downing Street said Boris Johnson installed the app on his phone and was not asked to self-isolate, after an aide he flew with on a plane tested positive.

No 10 insisted the Prime Minister was not a ‘close contact’ of the senior civil servant, who according to the Guardian was forced into self-isolation midway through a trip to Scotland the last week while other members of the contingent continued the tour.

Speculation had grown as to whether he may have received an alert in the following days as government guidelines state that close contacts count as those who ‘travelled in the same vehicle or aircraft as a person who has tested positive for Covid-19″.

“The Prime Minister has not been considered a close contact following advice from public health bodies in the normal manner,” Johnson’s spokesman said Monday.

At least six Downing Street staff are believed to be in self-isolation, with Johnson having spent the weekend at his Checkers country residence but due to return to Westminster this week.