Breakdown of alerts sent from Test and Protect app: FOI release

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002


Information requested

1. How many individual app users have been alerted that they have been in close contact with another app user who tested positive for coronavirus in the period 27 December to 6 January?

2. What proportion of those alerted subsequently tested positive for Coronavirus?

3. How many individual app users have been alerted that they have been in close contact with another app user who tested positive for coronavirus in the period 27 December to 6 January? per day?

4. What proportion of those alerted subsequently tested positive for Coronavirus?

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested, specifically we are unable to answer questions two and four.

1. It is not possible to determine how many individuals have been alerted from data held by the Scottish Government as each individual may have the Protect Scotland app installed on multiple devices, and therefore receive more than one notification. It is possible to determine the number of contact notifications issued to unique devices during this period, which was 15,068.

2. The Protect Scotland app is completely anonymous and has been created with privacy by design. As a result it is not possible to determine the proportion of the 15,068 contact notifications that could then be attributed to a subsequent positive test for COVID-19.

3. It is not possible to determine how many individuals have been alerted from data held by the Scottish Government as each individual may have the Protect Scotland app installed on multiple devices, and therefore receive more than one notification. It is possible to determine the number of contact notifications issued on a daily basis to unique devices. This information is set out in the table below:

 

 

Date

Contact Notifications (Daily)

 

27 December 2021

1,178

 

28 December 2021

1,675

 

29 December 2021

1,833

 

30 December 2021

1,189

 

31 December 2021

1,377

 

01 January 2022

1,154

 

02 January 2022

1,351

 

03 January 2022

1,571

 

04 January 2022

1,346

 

05 January 2022

1,197

 

06 January 2022

1,197

 

Total

15,068

4. As set out in response to question two, the Protect Scotland app is completely anonymous and has been created with privacy by design. As a result it is not possible to determine the proportion of the contact notifications in the table above that could then be attributed to a subsequent positive test for COVID-19

About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

Contact

Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000

The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

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