Isle of Wight infection rates dropped after launch of contact tracing app

Scientists disappointed' app has not been deployed since first one was scrapped

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Infection rates dropped dramatically on the Isle of Wight following the launch of an NHS contact tracing phone app, which was later scrapped in an embarrassing government U-turn, according to an analysis.

After having initially suggested the app would be rolled out nationally by the end of May, the government ditched the project and decided to focus on manual contact tracing, with no fixed date for when an app might be available. Now new research shows that the region went from among the worst R rates in the country - 147th out of 150 local authorities - to having one of the lowest R rates (10th out of 150) in the country after the app was launched.