Claims Worcester residents 'turned away' for not having test and trace app

According to councillor Richard Udall, people have been turned away from shops in the city for not having the app.

Cllr Udall said: “It is very concerning that residents have experienced not being able to visit certain places without having the Track and Trace App. Especially as not everyone has a mobile phone and those that do may not be able to download the app. iPhone users for example can only download the app if they have IOS 13.5 and above. It is very silly that this app has been rolled out and the government are encouraging everyone to use it without understanding that there are thousands of people who simply cannot get the app.”

He spoke out after scientists told government that the test-and-trace system is only having a “marginal impact” on reducing the spread of coronavirus.

The programme will “further decline” unless it grows at the same rate as the epidemic, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) warned in documents released on Monday.

• Worcester postcodes are at medium risk on NHS app

Boris Johnson has promised the scheme would be “world beating”, while experts and politicians alike see it as a major way of reducing the severity of restrictions imposed during the crisis. But, as the Prime Minister set out a fresh package of restrictions on businesses and social lives, it emerged that the Sage experts guiding the Government’s response believe it is failing.

“The relatively low levels of engagement with the system… coupled with testing delays and likely poor rates of adherence with self-isolation suggests that this system is having a marginal impact on transmission at the moment,” they wrote. “Unless the system grows at the same rate as the epidemic, and support is given to people to enable them to adhere to self-isolation, it is likely that the impact of Test, Trace and Isolate will further decline in the future.”

Have you ever been turned away for not having the app? Email jemma.bufton@newsquest.co.uk