Coronavirus

[Nathan]

I know a key worker who is tested every 2 weeks and it's just a quick swab from the throat

Which I thought was strange given Zips method was the first method I saw on the news

[Ascender]

Who could possibly have foreseen this coming?

The government is set to switch their troubled track & trace app to use the APIs developed by Apple & Google...

[Orange Cola]

Who could possibly have foreseen this coming?

The government is set to switch their troubled track & trace app to use the APIs developed by Apple & Google...

Link?

[Delphi]

Who could possibly have foreseen this coming?

The government is set to switch their troubled track & trace app to use the APIs developed by Apple & Google...

Link?

BBC linky

[Swervin_Mervin]

Who could possibly have foreseen this coming?

The government is set to switch their troubled track & trace app to use the APIs developed by Apple & Google...

Apparently Germany was developing its own app, like us, but abandoned it - launched their Apple/Google based one this week.

[duncs500]

A few heads will roll for that one.

[Orange Cola]

Well that’s two good U turns this week!

[JonMad]

Oh well that's a suprise

[Orange Cola]

Oh well that's a suprise

It genuinely is though?! Since when did our government ever do the sensible thing over this sort of shit, especially after they appointed people with history of major data leaks to run it?

[Ascender]

One advantage of the switch is that the NHS Covid-19 app will be able to overcome a limitation of iPhones and carry out Bluetooth "handshakes" when the software is running in the background.

I thought a big limitation of the original NHS app was that it had to be the actively running app, with your phone unlocked. Because unless you were using Apple/Google's API, they've limited what bluetooth can do in the background due to various shady methods used by devs to get usage and tracking info?

That statement is just a bit confusing, but might just be me.

[Orange Cola]

One advantage of the switch is that the NHS Covid-19 app will be able to overcome a limitation of iPhones and carry out Bluetooth "handshakes" when the software is running in the background.

I thought a big limitation of the original NHS app was that it had to be the actively running app, with your phone unlocked. Because unless you were using Apple/Google's API, they've limited what bluetooth can do in the background due to various shady methods used by devs to get usage and tracking info?

That statement is just a bit confusing, but might just be me.

All correct to me. I think it’s confusing where it says ‘background’, should say Limited when the phone is locked.

[Ascender]

Maybe that's it. I was tying myself in knots trying to work out the logic.

I see Hancock has just said... "Our app won't work because Apple won't change their system".

He really is just throwing stuff out there hoping the majority won't know any better and will just go with it isn't he?

[Mito Man]

Didn’t some random app developer point out this serious limitation pretty much as soon as the government announced they would make their own app? Then proceeded to stick their heads in the sand and keep carrying on with it for what, 2 months now?

[Ascender]

Didn’t some random app developer point out this serious limitation pretty much as soon as the government announced they would make their own app? Then proceeded to stick their heads in the sand and keep carrying on with it for what, 2 months now?

Yip, along with pretty much anybody who knows anything about how phone operating systems work these days when it comes to privacy.

[duncs500]

Why would a government app without apple/google's help ever be better than one with it anyway? Seems pretty far fetched.

Anyway, glad they're correcting it rather than trying to flog the dead horse.

This was nice to see on the BBC feed: "Last week, for the first week since mid-March, the number of people who died was no higher than is normal at this time of year".

[Broccers]

Yes so they arent using a failed app and delaying it instead - seems like a sensible idea really.

[Orange Cola]

It was the big headed attitude from the Government thinking they could get Apple and Google to bend to their demands, threatened them with negative press. Backfired massively, I wonder if someone in government has realised that people trust their smartphone provider more than they do their government, and better yet, everyone including the smartphone makers know that.

[mr_jon]

These are the kits the government is happily sending to people at home now and of course most people aren’t going to self harm by sticking something so far in so lots of false negatives.

My letter mentioned a prick test, so I'll definitely fail that (along with 99% of you lot!).

[integrale_evo]

The standard virus check is the swabs, while the antibody test needs a drop of blood.

[unzippy]

Good to hear Dave. Doesn't sound too nice apart from the pub bit

I can't begin to tell you how good it was