South Scotland MSP Brian Whittle is encouraging smartphone users to download NHS Scotland’s new contact tracing app, “Protect Scotland”.
The new app doesn’t share any personal data with other users and relies on anonymous encrypted codes shared over Bluetooth to detect when your phone is close to any other phone using the app. Then, if you test positive, you enter a code into your phone and this sends a notification to app users you’ve been in close contact with.
Protect Scotland, which has already been downloaded by hundreds of thousands of people, is intended to support the wider Test & Protect effort. It’s launch came as the Scottish Government tightened regulations on meetings between households with a new limit of no more than 6 people (not including children aged 12 and under) from two households being allowed to meet indoors or outdoors.
With cases in Ayrshire & Arran on the rise in recent days, Brian says he wants to see as many people as possible using the app. The Scottish Conservative Public Health spokesperson, who used to work in the healthcare technology sector, also stressed the importance of sticking to the existing rules.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“The Protect Scotland app is an important addition to our arsenal in fighting the spread of Covid-19 and I hope everyone with a compatible smartphone will make use of it.
Covid-19 is still a threat and the rise in numbers of infections shows that we still have to take all the precautions we’ve been taking so far. The app isn’t a replacement for social distancing, hand hygiene or any of the other regulations that were already in place.
The rise in cases locally is a worry and none of us want Ayrshire to be the next part of Scotland that gets extra restrictions.
We’re learning more about the virus every day and that gives us more tools to stop its spread. While the goal must be to eliminate the virus and find a vaccine, until then, Test & Protect and the other steps we’re all being asked to take, are the best way to help save lives.”
