The number of people being ‘pinged’ by the NHS Covid app has dropped 43% in the past seven days.
395,971 people were sent alerts from the app in the week up to July 28, to inform them they have come into close contact with someone testing positive for Covid.
This is a significant drop from the record 689,313 alerts sent in the previous week, when all legal lockdown restrictions were lifted across England.
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There are signs this may be due to fewer people using the app due to fears over being asked to self-isolate, with check-ins at venues on the app down 65% to 2.4m.
Scientific analysis has suggested regular use of the NHS app across England has helped prevent a further 2,000 daily cases, and lowered the number of hospitalisations in the past month.
The drop in numbers comes after an announcement on changes being made to the NHS app earlier this week.
People will now only be told to self-isolate when they have been near someone testing positive, but remaining asymptomatic, within two days of their positive test.
This change has replaced the previous five-day rule after claims asymptomatic carriers of Covid will have been infectious for a shorter amount of time.
The number of NHS app ‘pings’ are expected to continue to fall following this tweak. Speaking about the change, Health Minister Sajid Javid said: “We want to reduce the disruption that self-isolation can cause for people and businesses, while ensuring we’re protecting those most at risk from this virus.
“This update to the app will help ensure that we are striking the right balance.”
A number of businesses had complained over staff shortages due to large numbers of their workforce being asked to self-isolate. These complaints caused the Government to U-turn and tweak the app ahead of more significant changes coming mid August.
From August 16, anyone who has received both vaccines will no longer need to self-isolate after coming in contact with someone testing positive for Coronavirus. They will also not be legally required to test themselves, although government guidance continues to recommend regular testing.
In Liverpool, the latest figures show there are 351.6 cases of Covid per 100,000 people, with 10% of tests taken in the city coming back positive.
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