A really useful testing system

There is much talk at the moment about immunity passports and the new tracking app to be trialed in the Isle of Wight – but I have a much simpler answer. We just need the technology….

Version 1. ‘The basic’

A home finger prick COVID test (you have the virus/you have not got it) like a blood sugar test used daily by diabetics.

You feed the result into your phone (which is equipped with the appropriate app) and it comes up with a red light or a green light – you have the virus/you don’t have the virus.

You then carry your phone with you everywhere and are required to show it before boarding a bus, entering a shop, cinema etc etc etc. If you are green you are allowed to enter, if you are red, you are not. The checking can be done by a ‘man/woman at the door’ or by some basic technology such as that used to alert shops if you are walking off with some of their goods. Although this would scarcely be necessary as if you had tested red/positive you would either have taken to your bed or not tried to go anywhere as you know you would not be allowed to enter.

Version 2. ‘The tracker’

The app is connected to the sort of GPS tracking system that I believe they are using in the Isle of Wight. A central monitoring unit can see whenever a positive person is abroad and where they are – and can ‘track them down’ and impose an instant and substantial fine. (They do it very successfully with cars, so why not people!)

A more sophisticated version could also possibly track who they had been in contact with and then track them down to warn them to self isolate.

Obviously there would be all kinds of privacy issues with this – as there will be with any kind of tracking system. But if all the app registers is that you are positive and where you are, then maybe those could be minimised.

Of course, my genius scheme does depend on someone coming up with a finger prick COVID test. But, with all the techy brilliance being levelled at the virus at the moment, I cannot believe that this is not on its way.

How simple all our lives would be….

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