Arrival of NHS contact-tracing app heralds return of QR codes

Simplicity and lack of need for physical contact make scanning QR codes the perfect solution for the app

As people across England and Wales download the long-awaited NHS contact-tracing app on Thursday, they'll also contribute to one of the most unlikely revivals of the Covid era: the humble QR code.

The app, which has been substantially rebuilt from the version first tested in the Isle of Wight in May, has had two significant changes. The first is a new underpinning, based on a framework created by Apple and Google, which allows it to work in a decentralised" manner, sharing little data with the NHS about individuals' movements.