Surrey's director of public health urges residents to download new Covid-19 app

The NHS Covid-19 app is now available to download for anyone over the age of 16 in England and Wales.

With multiple functions and using privacy protected technology, the app is the fastest way to see if you are at risk from Coronavirus.

The app enables people to:

• Get alerts if they've been in contact with coronavirus
• Find out their local postcode risk level
• Check into venues using official NHS Covid-19 QR codes
• Check their symptoms
• Book a test
• Get self-isolation advice and track their isolation period with a countdown tool.

Now based on Apple and Google privacy protecting technology, the app cannot track a person's location, monitor whether they are self-isolating, access anyone's personal identity or any other information on their phone.

Ruth Hutchinson, Surrey County Council's Director of Public Health, said: "The app is the next step in the fight to stop the spread of Coronavirus in Surrey. The more Surrey residents that download the app, the longer we can continue to keep Surrey safe.

"Contact tracing is absolutely essential to managing infection levels, and by using the app you will be doing your bit to help keep them down.

"The app tracks the virus, not you. The quicker you know that you are at risk of infection, the quicker you can alert and protect your loved ones.

"Lockdown was difficult for many people, and we should all do what we can to prevent it. The app will help us stop the spread of Coronavirus in our local areas."

From today, certain types of businesses will have a legal requirement to display a NHS Covid-19 QR poster, ready for customers to scan using the app.

Types of venues that will be legally obliged to display a QR poster are:

• Hospitality – bars, restaurants, hotels, cafes;
• Tourism and leisure – museums, galleries, gyms and leisure centres;
• Local authority buildings;
• Places of worship;
• Close contact services;
• Anywhere an event is taking place in a physical location.

Many other buildings and workplaces will choose to display QR codes to support NHS Test and Trace efforts to stop the spread of the virus.