The contact tracing app used in England and Wales failed to warn people that they were exposed to COVID-19 patients and should quarantine.

Just because you have a COVID-19 contact tracing app on your phone doesn’t mean you can take the virus lightly. A new report said that the app used in England and Wales failed to do its job. The error caused thousands of people not to enter quarantine when they should have. 

COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps

The Verge said that the app failed to tell these people to quarantine. Moreover, the Sunday Times said that the app didn’t warn people that they had close contact with COVID-19 patients. 

UK contact tracing app failed to flag people exposed to COVID-19 https://t.co/dpecalslqc pic.twitter.com/n10tnhgwL2

— The Verge (@verge) November 2, 2020

England and Wales launched the app on September 24. Since then, 19 million people have downloaded it. The app also uses Google and Apple’s system, which monitors phones nearby. If you interact with a person who later tests positive for COVID-19, the app will ping you. 

Flaws in the App

The Sunday Times reports that the app flagged only a few users since its launch. Last week, engineers found the flaw. Spending over 15 minutes at closer than 2 meters with a person who tests positive should be enough to flag you. However, they changed the app to include the start of the symptoms. 

Why Was it a Flaw?

Studies show that people are more contagious a day before they start showing symptoms. They also tend to have high levels of virus in their nose and throat on that day. These virus levels stay high for a few days. After that, they drop off. 

If you talked to someone outside of that window, the app said you were safe. So, you could spend about 40 minutes with a sick person outside this window. The app would not alert you.

The post UK Contact Tracing APP Failed to Warn People of Covid-19 Exposure first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Rob Sterling

The ridesharing service company Uber can continue its operations in London. It comes as a judge reversed a previous decision from a regulator last year to ban the company for safety concerns. 

Regaining License

Uber receives a new license to continue its business in London, one important market for the company. Specifically, they obtained a new transportation license that allows them to operate for 18 months. 

Breaking News: Uber can continue operating in London, a judge ruled. It was a critical win for the ride-hailing giant in one of its most important global markets. https://t.co/mzplFkSBdp

— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 28, 2020

According to a deputy chief magistrate, the company had met a “fit and proper” standard. In a New York Times article, Judge Tan Ikram said that the ridesharing services firm addressed those concerns posed by regulators regarding passengers’ safety. Particularly, it includes banning unauthorized and uninsured drivers in their platform.

The judge ruled that although the company “does not have a perfect record,” Uber remains improving. He noted the satisfactory actions Uber had taken.

Access to the London Market

The American ridesharing company had its license in London removed twice. In 2017, the company lost its license in the city and then appealed the ruling. Later, they received permission to operate for 15 months. Last year, the company again lost its taxi license in London over safety concerns. Particularly, regulators noted Uber failed to maintain safety for passengers. The Transport for London said that Uber allowed unauthorized drivers to carry passengers through its platform. And the ban ends with the new ruling.

If Uber failed to regain its license in the city, it could lose access to one of its very crucial markets to operate in. The company claimed that millions of users in London take advantage of their app on a regular basis, CNN Business reports. Moreover, it said that they have about 45,000 drivers in the city.

Commitment to Safety?

With the new permission, Jamie Heywood said the decision recognizes the company’s commitment to safety. Heywood serves as the regional general manager for Uber in the Northern and Eastern Europe. “We will continue to work constructively with [Transport for London].”

However, in a CNN Business report, the general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, Steve McNamara, frowned upon the ruling. “Uber has demonstrated time and time again that it simply can’t be trusted to put the safety of Londoners, its drivers, and other road users above profit. Sadly, it seems that Uber is too big to regulate effectively, but too big to fail,” McNamara stated.

The post UK Judge Allows Uber to Continue Operations in London first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Irene Hawkins