NHS COVID-19 app launched – what should businesses do?

NHS COVID-19 app launched today nationwide to help control COVID-19 transmission alongside national and local contact tracing

Features of the app include contact tracing using Bluetoothrisk alerts based on postcode and QR check-in at venues

Businesses are now required by law to display the official NHS QR code posters so people can check-in at different premises with the app

People across England and Wales are being urged to download the NHS COVID-19 app to help control the spread of coronavirus and protect themselves and their loved ones as case numbers rise.

The app launched today (24 September) and will be available to those aged 16 and over in multiple languages. It forms a central part of the NHS Test and Trace service in England and the NHS Wales Test Trace Protect programme – identifying contacts of those who have tested positive for coronavirus.

Alongside the new app businesses are being asked to display NHS QR posters. NHS QR code posters are a quick simple and secure way for visitors to anonymously register that they’ve been to a venue. This allows customers or visitors to receive important public health messages if needed.

By supporting the official NHS QR code poster systembusinesses will be protecting visitors and their business itself. 

Certain businesses in England are required by law to display NHS Test and Trace QR codes so customers with the NHS COVID-19 app can use them to check-in. QR codes will help businesses meet their legal requirement to log contact details and allow public health leads to send alerts based on whether people have checked in at venues. 

So farmore than 160000 businesses have already downloaded QR codes.

If a business or venue falls into one of the sectors or categories that should provide a customer log then they must now display an NHS QR code poster at their venue when the app launches nationally. This applies if they provide:

• Hospitality services including pubs bars restaurants and cafés
• Tourism and leisure services including hotels museums cinemas and amusement arcades
• Close contact services including hairdressers barbershops and tailors
• Facilities provided by Local Authorities including community centres libraries and village halls

Read the full list of organisations within these sectors on gov.uk.

Displaying an official NHS QR code poster and collecting contact details for NHS Test and Trace is a legal requirement for organisations in these categories. However if a customer or visitor chooses to check in by scanning the NHS QR code they do not also need to complete the customer log.

If you have a venue outside of these categories that is visited by members of the public and has an indoor space where people congregatethen you are also encouraged to create a QR code poster for the entrance to that venue. 

Find out more information on the NHS COVID-19 app and QR codes