'The Covid-19 app said my nearest drive-through testing availability was on the Isle of Wight'
30 September 2020, 11:38
'The app said my nearest drive-through testing availability was on the Isle of Wight'
An NHS key worker has told Nick Ferrari that the new NHS Covid-19 app instructed him to travel to Isle of Wight for a test, despite living in Surrey.
More than 10 million people have downloaded the NHS Covid-19 app since it was made available for download in England and Wales on Thursday, despite problems which have besieged since it was launched.
NHS key worker Martin Baker told Nick Ferrari of how, to attend the only testing facility that was made available to him through the app, he would have to take a 100-mile round trip which would include him taking a ferry.
He explained: "I downloaded the app at the weekend because that's what they want us to do.
"At the time I had two symptoms, a temperature and a cough. I entered those on the app and it then directed me to go to a testing facility.
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"It gave me three options. The first one was a walk-in appointment, [for] which it said there was no availability. Then it said a mobile centre, [which had] no availability.
"Then it said your nearest drive-through availability is the Isle of Wight."
There have been widespread reports of problems with the new NHS Covid-19 Test and Trace app, with Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden last week conceding to LBC that there were “teething problems”.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock last week said on social media it was an "absolutely fantastic" response so far, and urged more people to download it.
When asked by LBC presenter Nick Ferrari if he had managed to secure a test, Mr Baker said: "I did get a test. The result came through last night and it did come back positive. I think I'm through the worst of it now.
"Now it just feels like a bad case of the flu, whereas yesterday it felt the world was on my shoulders."
