If your phone has flashed up with an alert warning that you may have had 'Possible COVID-19 Exposure' only for the message to disappear, you are not alone.
Despite the initial shock the notifications are commonly sent and if you've got one - do not worry.
Phones with the NHS COVID-19 app have been sending these alerts to thousands of people in England and Wales since they downloaded it onto their Google/Android or Apple devices.
Naturally, people see the message and panic, which can get worse as they try to click on the alert only for it to disappear and there be no sign of it within the app itself or any further instruction about what to do.
But don't fret, if you have received one of those exposure notifications but did not find a message on the app telling you to self-isolate, it means the NHS does not think you had a reasonable chance of catching the virus from the person whose positive test triggered the alert.
The 'Possible Exposure' messages are automated notifications from Apple, Android and Google.
They do mean you have been near someone who has coronavirus, but the app has not yet examined whether they have had a reasonable chance of infecting you.
If the app does decide you could be at risk, you will receive a second message which specifically tells you to isolate, as you have been close enough to that person who has tested positive for coronavirus. If you do not get another alert ordering you to self-isolate, you do not need to take further action.
You only need to then self-isolate if you are told to by the NHS COVID-19 app. That message will say "The app has detected that you have been in contact with someone who has coronavirus. Please stay at home and self-isolate to keep yourself and others safe" and tell you how long you need to self-isolate for.
The NHS says: "Most of the notifications are just to remind you that the functionality is on and working. Others are labelled Possible COVID-19 Exposure. These messages do not come from the NHS COVID-19 app. The app uses a risk-scoring algorithm to filter out ‘false alarms’ based on distance and time. You only need to take action if you get a notification directly from the NHS COVID-19 app. Messages from the NHS COVID-19 app will not ‘disappear’ when you click them, you will be able to see the advice for you within the app when you open it."
The Department of Health and Social Care said: "These are default notifications that come from Apple and Google. NHS Covid-19 app users only need to self-isolate if they get a notification directly from the app advising them to do so. The app uses Apple and Google Exposure Notifications plus a risk-scoring algorithm to filter out 'false alarms' based on distance and time. This is the same Apple and Google Exposure Notification software used on covid apps in other countries."
If you receive either of these' Possible Exposure' Track and Trace Alerts...
- “Possible COVID-19 exposure. Verifying exposure info. The app has accessed the date, duration and signal strength of this exposure.”
Or
- “Possible COVID-19 exposure. Someone you were near reported having COVID-19. Exposure date, duration, and signal strength have been saved.”
Then do not worry UNLESS you receive a second message, saying: "The app has detected that you have been in contact with someone who has coronavirus. Please stay at home and self-isolate to keep yourself and others safe.”
If you only received the 'Possible Exposure' alert, it disappears, or you can not click on it, it means the app has worked out the alert was a 'false alarm' and you do not need to take any further action.
If you get the second message which tells you to self-isolate, then you must stay at home and away from others for however long it tells you to do so.
