More than 700 Eastbourne residents ‘pinged’ in one week and told to isolate by the NHS Covid App

In the week ending July 7 – the most recent data available – 705 people received ‘contact tracing alerts’.

The 705 people notified is the highest weekly tally according to available data dating back to the week ending January 27, 2021.

The week before, ending June 30, 381 were ‘pinged’.

Alerts are sent via the app to users who have been in ‘close contact’ with someone who has tested positive for covid-19.

According to the NHS, 5,773 people have been contacted across Eastbourne due to ‘close contact’ since the app was launched.

The Government said ‘close contact’ is based on an algorithm but generally means a user has been within two meters of someone with covid for 15 minutes or more.

Individuals need to self-isolate for 10 full days from the date they were last in contact with the person who tested positive, according to the Government.

In the week ending July 7, 82 people in Eastbourne also reported positive covid test results through the app – the highest number since January 27, 2021 when 95 cases were recorded.