Coronavirus Discussion

I thought the problem was known about but they hoped it could be resolved. I understood that the main issue with the Apple devices was running the App in the background, it worked fine if active, but this would have used too much power. To run it in the background would have meant Apple releasing bits of its operating system, that it was not prepared to do. This means we have an App that can establish proximity very well but can't be run effectively on their device and they have an App that will run in the background, but can't tell the difference between a phone in a pocket at 1 metre, or in someone's hand at 3 metres. Now they are working together, hooefully they can marry the two.

I dont think Mr Hancock said "abandoned the App approach" what i heard him say was that they were hopefully going to share what we had with Apple & Google to see if we could come up with something that was an acceptable compromise, but he was adamant that whatever was rolled out whether it be in the Autumn or Winter had to work, otherwise it would not be released. Good move i thought testing it on the Isle of Wight, would have been far worse if they had released it into a wider community and then had to pull it. Writing Software for any operating system has many pitfalls and that is why most is put through a beta testing phase before general release so that the failings can be ironed out, and lets face it Micro soft still have not mastered the art of doing this after how many years ?  

"Good move I thought testing it on the Isle of Wight"

What would have been a good move was to go with the experts in the first place. Why we thought we could come up with a better system beats me especially as you say " Microsoft still have not mastered the art of doing this after many years" 

But what they have found in other countries is that the Apple and Google applications both have problems in measuring distance, this is a quote re what was on offer in South Korea & i believe Singapore are just about to launch something similar, we could ask the question why did we not get into bed with South Korea, they were and are well ahead of the game, but one subtle differance, the authorities do not give a hoot about your privacy

"Moreover, any person with a smartphone in South Korea - almost the entire population, given that nine out of 10 South Koreans have one - gets location-based emergency messages that alert them when they are near a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19"

"People get the messages automatically and are not allowed to opt out"

Despite two major new outbreaks of CV19 in North Wales, both in food processing plants, one in the Wrexham area and the other on Anglesey amounting to over 100 cases, the First Minister will announce more easing of restrictions here in Wales lunchtime today. Shops will reopen from Monday, the 5 mile travel restriction will be lifted from 6th July ( easing in certain circumstances can take place immediately). Self catering holiday accommodation may open from 13th July. This included caravans. All schools to restart 29th June (hopefully). So some light at the end of this dark tunnel.

Whichever way you dress it up they have abandoned the original app. They now have to decide whether they can achieve most of their aims with the Google/Apple app which is ready to go. It remains to be seen whether this app can be amended to give the extra information they require. He did at least admit that it didn't work in its current form. I would agree that it was a good idea to try it out in somewhere like the IOW. Given that they were apparently warned that the app would not work because of the connectivity problems its a shame that they were not a lot more measured when they launched all those months ago. At least the manual Track and Test is in place and seems to be working reasonably well although it needs work particularly in involving GP's at local level to get the number of non responses down. 

David

Good news if it is correct. Does this mean that we will at last be allowed to travel to Wales again. I wonder what has made them come to this decision, especially as the virus has clearly not been defeated in Wales yet.

The new cases in these factories are ,I believe considered to be contained outbreaks. The strict measures adopted have led to the R rate generally to be 0.7 or under in Wales. Here in the South East new cases are now daily in single figures with very few deaths, at the height of the outbreak this was one of the worst areas in the whole of the UK. So unless major resurgence occurs, these announcements are likely to happen.

Good news for England as well. I understand that the Covid threat level can be reduced from 4 to 3 because spread of the virus is no longer high or rising exponentially. Hope that's right.

Not studied these Apps, but if folk don’t have a mobile, have it switched on or don’t have the App what is the value of it?