Young teens living in Forth Valley are being urged to join the fight against COVID-19 by downloading the Protect Scotland app.

The free app is now available to those aged 12-15, and parents are being asked to encourage their child to download it if they have a compatible smartphone, to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

The age range has been extended to allow younger people to protect themselves and those in their household – and help make sure they can keep meeting up with friends outdoors.

NHS Forth Valley today highlighted how the app offers an additional layer of protection, building on existing person-to-person contract tracing in place, and the more people that download it and use it, the more effective it will be.

Already downloaded over 1.7 million times since its launch in September, the Protect Scotland app enables people to self-isolate far quicker if they are exposed to the virus, reducing the risk of them infecting others.

Once downloaded, it works in the background, using Bluetooth technology to anonymously alert people if they’ve been near another app user who has tested positive for coronavirus.

And if they themselves test positive, app users are being encouraged to enter the code they’re provided, so close contacts can be quickly notified.

This latest update of the app will also reflect the reduction of the isolation period length to 10 days.

People’s privacy is be protected, as the app uses encrypted anonymised codes to determine close contacts, which are deleted after 14 days.  It doesn’t store details on an individual, or their location.

Dr Graham Foster, Director of Public Health, NHS Forth Valley said:

“I would encourage those aged 12 – 15 to download the free app, and parents to encourage their children to get the app, if they have a compatible smartphone.

“The app helps support NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system, adding an additional means of notifying people who have been exposed to the virus, allowing them to self-isolate far quicker which reduces the risk of them infecting others.

“Using the app and following FACTS will help protect your household, and help young teens continue to be able to meet up with their friends more safely.  The more people that use it, the more effective it will be in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in the area.”

Download the free app today at protect.scot and protect yourself, your family, and Scotland against coronavirus.