With apologies — I should have said that this blog post is a joint effort from @markbriers@twitter.com, @cholmesuk@twitter.com and @ChristoPhraser@twitter.com.

RT @hadleybeeman More on the research evaluating the #NHSCOVID19app in this blog post from the Turing Institute’s @MarkBriers@twitter.com:

Demonstrating the impact of the NHS COVID-19 app

https://www.turing.ac.uk/blog/demonstrating-impact-nhs-covid-19-app

For raw data on #NHSCOVID19app downloads, contact tracing alerts, QR code posters, venue check-ins, COVID test results linked to the app, etc.

In CSV, published weekly:

https://faq.covid19.nhs.uk/article/KA-01367/

More on the research evaluating the #NHSCOVID19app in this blog post from the Turing Institute’s @MarkBriers@twitter.com:

Demonstrating the impact of the NHS COVID-19 app

https://www.turing.ac.uk/blog/demonstrating-impact-nhs-covid-19-app

Technical documentation for the #NHSCOVID19app’s risk scoring algorithm:

https://covid19.nhs.uk/risk-scoring-algorithm.html

#OpenSource code for the #NHSCOVID19app:

• System & architecture https://github.com/nhsx/covid19-app-system-public
• Android https://github.com/nhsx/covid-19-app-android-ag-public
• iOS https://github.com/nhsx/covid-19-app-ios-ag-public

Vulnerability Disclosures: https://hackerone.com/nhscovid19app?type=team

• The #NHSCOVID19app is continually improved; has had a series of updates since its launch in September 2020, including an update to the risk scoring algorithm to utilise Google/Apple's API Mode 2 which better estimates distance based on Bluetooth signal strength.

• The #NHSCOVID19app has been downloaded 21.63 million times, representing 56% of the eligible population (age 16+ with a smartphone)

• Research by scientists at @TuringInst & @UniofOxford shows for every 1% ⬆️ in app users, the # of coronavirus cases in the population ⬇️ 2.3%

New stats on the #NHSCOVID19app:

• Approx 600,000 cases have been prevented by the app since Sept
• Over 1.7 million app users across England & Wales have been advised to isolate by the app after close contact with someone who goes on to test positive

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nhs-covid-19-app-alerts-17-million-contacts-to-stop-spread-of-covid-19

I'm not a fan of this government, and I especially don't want Cummings, Harding and the rest to get their grubby hands on any of my data. But I've done the due diligence and the app doesn't give them much of anything, while it will help slow Covid.

Install the #NHSCOVID19app.

RT @OpenRightsGroup@twitter.com

📣 Here’s what you need to know about #NHSCOVID19app which has been launched in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 today ⬇️

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/nhs-app-users-get-privacy-other-visitors-get-nothing/

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/OpenRightsGroup/status/1309096881205776387

Thanks to the product, engineering & policy teams; beta testers from Isle of Wight, Newham & NHS volunteers; Apple & Google; & colleagues in other countries. This has been the best kind of collaborative effort — working to give us all the info we need to keep our loved ones safe.

#NHSCOVID19app

9/9

#Privacy

The #NHSCOVID19app
• doesn’t use location APIs or GPS
• doesn’t see phones you’ve been in contact with; your phone’s OS holds that.

And
• The key that identifies your phone changes every 10-20 minutes
• Your venue check-ins never leave your phone. You can also edit or delete them whenever you like.

7/

Report symptoms: If you’re not feeling well, you can see if your symptoms match the @PHE_uk@twitter.com case definition for COVID-19. If it looks likely that you have it, you’ll be passed to the GOV.UK website for ordering a test.

#NHSCovid19App
6/

Venue check-in part 2: If Public Health authorities find that there was an outbreak in a pub/restaurant/other venue, the code for that venue will be sent to all phones.

Your phone will check it against the check-ins in your #NHSCOVID19app, and if you said you were there, you’ll get advice.

5/

Venue check-in: Instead of writing your name+contact info in a book at the pub/restaurant/etc, you can “check in” with the #NHSCOVID19app by scanning the venue’s NHS QR code.

This records your check-in in your app. (It’s not shared with the venue & doesn’t leave your phone.)

/4

Local risk scores: Using the postcode district (the first half of the postcode) that you give the app — the only info it has about you — it shows you the COVID-19 risk score for your area. This lets you plan to keep yourself safe.

#NHSCOVID19app
3/

Exposure notification: Using Apple & Google’s Exposure Notification APIs, your phone pays attention to when you’re within 2 meters of someone for more than 15 minutes.

How it protects your privacy: https://covid19.apple.com/contacttracing or https://www.google.com/covid19/exposurenotifications/

#NHSCOVID19app
2/

It’s here! The #NHSCOVID19App for England and Wales is going live today. It will help each of us to keep our loved ones safe.

It also keeps our personal information private.

Download links:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/nhs-covid-19/id1520427663
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.nhs.covid19.production

Here’s how it works:

1/

RT @CJFWeatherhead@twitter.com

NEW: Initial analysis of the @NHSX@twitter.com #nhsCovid19App by @privacyint@twitter.com #coronavirusuk #COVID19 #Covid19UK #coronavirus [THREAD]

https://privacyinternational.org/long-read/3752/coronavirus-tracking-uk-what-we-know-so-far

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/CJFWeatherhead/status/1258347775814664192