UK Launches Trial of Contact Tracing App on Isle of Wight

Bluetooth-enabled technology will attempt to track people’s interactions on the British island—and potentially elsewhere in the UK—as lockdowns are lifted.

Written byJef Akst

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On the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England, local government staff and healthcare workers can now download a smartphone app from the UK’s National Health Service that will register contacts between users, the BBC reports. On Thursday (May 7), the rest of the island’s more than 140,000 residents will be encouraged to get the app as well.

The app is part the UK’s plan to “test, track, and trace” individuals while easing social distancing measures under the continued threat of COVID-19. It could be available to the wider UK population within weeks, according to CNBC.

“Please download the app to protect the NHS and save lives,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock urged Isle of Wight residents, according to the BBC. “By downloading the app, you’re protecting your own health, you’re protecting the health of your loved ones, and the health of the community.”

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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