NHS COVID-19

For the NHS response to the pandemic, see COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom § National health services response.
Not to be confused with NHS Test and Trace.

NHS COVID-19
Original author(s)NHSX
Initial release24 September 2020; 4 years ago (2020-09-24)
Final release
6.0 / 24 April 2023; 18 months ago (2023-04-24)
Repository
PlatformAndroid, iOS
Size9.8 MB
Available inEnglish, Welsh
TypeContact tracing app
LicenseMIT
Websitecovid19.nhs.uk Edit this at Wikidata

NHS COVID-19 was a voluntary contact tracing app for monitoring the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in England and Wales, in use from 24 September 2020 until 27 April 2023.[1] It was available for Android and iOS smartphones, and could be used by anyone aged 16 or over.[2]

Two versions of the app were created. The first was commissioned by NHSX and developed by the Pivotal division of American software company VMware. A pilot deployment began in May 2020, but on 18 June development of the app was abandoned in favour of a second design using the Apple/Google Exposure Notification system. Scotland and Northern Ireland had separate contact tracing apps.

A 2023 study estimated that in its first year of use, the app's contact tracing function prevented an estimated 1 million cases, and 9,600 deaths.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NHS_withdrawn was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "[Withdrawn] NHS COVID-19 app: privacy information". GOV.UK. 27 April 2023.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).