NHS Covid app: Q&A for parents asked to self-isolate
The long-awaited NHS Covid-19 app has been downloaded by more than 10 million people since its launch last week. The idea is simple: your phone will tell you if you’ve been in contact with someone who subsequently tested positive for coronavirus. You will then be advised to self-isolate for 14 days.
But what are the implications of this for those of us who have children? The app is for users aged 16 and over. It doesn’t tell you if your children have been in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19. Where does this leave us, if we get the dreaded prompt to stay indoors?
Here are the answers to some of the questions parents might have about the app.
If I get told to self-isolate, will I know where I was in contact with someone who tested positive?
No. If someone is notified to self-isolate as a result of being close to someone who has tested positive, they will not know who that person is or where the encounter took place.
Then how will I know if my children have also been exposed or not?
You won’t. The app will only tell you whether you have been exposed.
So if I’m asked to self-isolate by the app, do my children have to self-isolate too, just in case they were exposed?
Technically not. The app is designed to be complementary to the existing NHS Test and Trace system – the rules for which state that if you are asked to self-isolate, other members of your household don’t have to do so unless you (or they) have symptoms. The same will apply here.
OK, but if my partner and I are both asked to self-isolate by the app, does this mean that in reality our young children will have to miss two weeks of school, because we will not be allowed to leave our house to drop them off or collect them?
Tricky one. In an ideal world, you would not leave the house, that’s correct. But your children missing two weeks of school because of this logistical problem would be far from ideal. There appears to be no official answer on what to do in this scenario, but the Government’s separate guidance for households with possible or confirmed Covid-19 infection does acknowledge that not all the measures will be possible if you are living with children. Instead it advises parents to “keep following this guidance to the best of your ability”.
What we do know is self-isolation following an alert from the app is voluntary. You won’t be hunted down and fined if you do leave your house. The aim is to alert people if they are at risk of having the virus and prompt them to act accordingly. Ultimately, you will have to decide on the best course of action if you have school-aged children.
Can I still take my child to nursery/their childminder if the app has asked me and my partner to self-isolate?
The dilemma is the same here. Your child is technically allowed to attend nursery even if you are self-isolating. But again, the problem is how you are going to get them there. It seems that some discretion will be necessary, but it’s also advisable to notify the nursery of the situation as they might have their own rules about whether they will still accept your child in these circumstances.
Do I have to tell my children’s school if I am self-isolating?
Not unless the school has specific guidelines asking you to do so. But if you develop symptoms and/or receive a positive test result, then your children cannot attend school and you should tell the school why they will be absent.
If the app tells me to book a test but no tests are available, what do I do?
This has been an issue for several weeks now: not all those who display symptoms are able to book a test easily, or at all, when they try to do so. All you can do is keep trying. Sometimes computer says no to begin with, then a few hours later will offer you a test at a centre not too far from your home.
As tempting as it might be if you only have mild symptoms, do not give up on trying to book a test and return to your normal activities. It’s important you do self-isolate and book a test if you are experiencing coronavirus symptoms.
