COV19 Tracking question

[ab1950]

Yesterdays government briefing outlined the processes of the new Trace & Trace system for Covid19 in England and Wales. The process flags the "close contacts" that someone who has been tested positive for the virus has had during the previous period.
Close contact seems to be defined as being within 2 meters for 15 minutes or more with no indication whether this is a continuous or cumulative 15 minutes over a set period ( e.g. 15 minutes over 4 hours..)
Those contacts who have been flagged through this process will be required to quarantine for 14 days and I assume this will be checked by the Trackers.

My question is, what happens when the App is released and becomes part of the process? Most golfers I believe mute their phones when on the range or course and store them in their golf bags. The players may religiously abide by the social distancing rules while on the range or on the course but the bags or trolleys are likely be placed within 2 meters of each other while on the tees, greens or range beforehand and hence the App will be registering contact. In theory you could be standing well away from a fellow player with your phone in your pocket, but within 2 meters of a bag which has a phone within and register as a "close contact"

Is anyone aware whether any of the Golf Unions have questioned this or whether the trial in the Isle of Wight has flagged this as an issue? Is the solution to religiously turn your phone off when you get to the car park?

 

[GB72]

Yesterdays government briefing outlined the processes of the new Trace & Trace system for Covid19 in England and Wales. The process flags the "close contacts" that someone who has been tested positive for the virus has had during the previous period.
Close contact seems to be defined as being within 2 meters for 15 minutes or more with no indication whether this is a continuous or cumulative 15 minutes over a set period ( e.g. 15 minutes over 4 hours..)
Those contacts who have been flagged through this process will be required to quarantine for 14 days and I assume this will be checked by the Trackers.

My question is, what happens when the App is released and becomes part of the process? Most golfers I believe mute their phones when on the range or course and store them in their golf bags. The players may religiously abide by the social distancing rules while on the range or on the course but the bags or trolleys are likely be placed within 2 meters of each other while on the tees, greens or range beforehand and hence the App will be registering contact. In theory you could be standing well away from a fellow player with your phone in your pocket, but within 2 meters of a bag which has a phone within and register as a "close contact"

Is anyone aware whether any of the Golf Unions have questioned this or whether the trial in the Isle of Wight has flagged this as an issue? Is the solution to religiously turn your phone off when you get to the car park?

Really, if I had played a round of golf with someone who was then diagnosed with Covid, I would 100% expect to be self isolating for the next 14 days. However careful you are, if you have just spent 3 plus hours in the company of someone with the virus, how can you expect anything other than a period of isolation. Even without the app, The sufferer is contacted by the contact tracers and I suspect that as soon as they say they spent 3 hours on a golf course with you, the question of how long you were within 2 meters of the person over that period is not even going to be asked.

In all honesty, when looking at contact tracing on a national scale, do yo think that the authorities have any interest in the bespoke view of golfers or the time to discuss with golf unions how it may impact their members in a minority of circumstances. Basically, you golf with someone with covid, I would suspect that you can guarantee a 14 day rest at home.

 

[SaintHacker]

. The players may religiously abide by the social distancing rules while on the range or on the course but the bags or trolleys are likely be placed within 2 meters of each other while on the tees, greens or range beforehand and hence the App will be registering contact. In theory you could be standing well away from a fellow player with your phone in your pocket, but within 2 meters of a bag which has a phone within and register as a "close contact"

?

Seriously?? Its extremely easy on a golf course to keep your bag 6ft from anyone elses, and if is that difficult just keep your phone in your pocket and don't go near anyones bag!

 

[ab1950]

Yeah, you're right GB72 ... I guess I got hung up on the technical issue of the App generating the warning rather than the wider issue. You would indeed want to know if you had played with someone testing positive and the social distancing rules are to ensure you don't have the virus after the 14 day quarantine.

As we've now opened our driving range and putting green and they are in a common area for the check in and the 1st tee, even with 10 minute slots there are an increasing number of bags and trollies around, so I'll definitely be keeping the phone in my pocket.

Thanks for your input.