NORTHWICH residents are being urged to download the new NHS coronavirus app, which launches tomorrow, September 24.

It can be downloaded onto iPhones and Android handsets from their app stores and is designed to notify users if they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive.

The app needs to be downloaded by as many people as possible for it to work effectively and help stop the spread of Covid-19.

Cllr Louise Gittins, leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “The Covid-19 app will help you tackle the virus by providing you with important information about where the virus is, how to avoid it and what to do if you have come into contact with someone who has it.

“I will be downloading it September 24, and I encourage everyone to do the same. By doing this, it will be a constructive way for you to play your part to protect your friends, family and others in your community.

“This is one of a number of actions you can take to help stop the increasing spread of infections in our borough. We have all done so much to fight this virus by wearing face coverings, keeping our distance from others, washing our hands and seeking a test if we have symptoms.

“With infections rising and the prospect of a second wave on the horizon, we now need to refocus our efforts and continue to follow these public health guidelines.”

Alerts are anonymous and should be sent out before the user has begun to experience coronavirus symptoms.

No personal details are revealed and the app will not hold personal information.

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Businesses will also be required to display QR codes for the app from tomorrow.

This will allow the app's users to quickly check at a location for the Test and Trace service by scanning the code.