COVID-19 has not gone away
While some restrictions have been removed, and most testing reduced in England, the pandemic is not over. The NHS COVID-19 app is key part of NHS Test and Trace in England and NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect in Wales and continues to have a role in helping us stay safe and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Only way to know if you’ve been exposed to the virus by someone you don’t know
The app is a quick and easy way to get the latest advice and find out if you may have been exposed to COVID-19. If you test positive, you can share your results to let other app users you’ve been in close contact with to look out for symptoms and avoid passing it on to others. If you’ve been in close contact to someone who has since tested positive for COVID-19 you will be given the latest health advice. For most people COVID-19 will be a relatively mild illness. However, COVID-19 can make anyone seriously ill, and for some people the risk is higher. There are simple actions we can still take to limit the spread of COVID-19. The app also allows you to report symptoms and order a coronavirus test.
It’s easy to use and protects your privacy
Once you’ve downloaded the app, keep contact tracing and Bluetooth on your phone switched on, it’s as easy as that – you’ll be sent an exposure notification if you’ve been within 2 metres of someone for 15 minutes or longer.
The NHS COVID-19 app protects your privacy. It doesn’t store or access any of your personal data, which is why your vaccination records and COVID pass appear separately in the NHS App. Read more about your data and privacy.