Health secretary Matt Hancock has again thanked the Isle of Wight for being the testbed for the new Test and Trace App to combat Covid-19.

The Google-Apple based app, which begins rollout to Island residents tomorrow (Friday), includes features such as alerts based on postcode, QR check-in at venues, symptom checker and test booking.

The app will work alongside enhanced contact tracing services and testing to help minimise the spread of Covid-19.

Video: See demo of new test-and-trace app.

Mr Hancock said: “It’s essential we get the country moving again so people can get back to doing what they love.

"Our statistics show more people with symptoms are getting tested and NHS Test and Trace reaches the vast majority of people testing positive, and their contacts.

"We are seeing a significant rise in the number of people with symptoms getting tested, and 90% of people who turn up to be tested get their results by the next day.

“We’ve worked with tech companies, international partners, privacy and medical experts to develop an app that is simple to use, secure and will help keep the country safe.

“Building on the feedback from the first phase, I want to thank Isle of Wight residents who will again play a vital national role in fighting this pandemic, joined by residents in Newham, London and our incredible NHS Volunteer Responders.

"We are hugely grateful to everyone playing their part to rigorously test the new app and provide the foundation for a national roll-out.”

Residents on the Isle of Wight will receive unique codes to give them early access to download the app via email and post.

They will be part of a three-week trial period as the NHS Test and Trace programme rigorously evaluates the app in real-world settings to monitor performance and identify improvements ready for national launch.

A government statement said: "The Isle of Wight, which has helped develop the app to this point, is a controlled geographical area allowing the service to particularly test features like the QR code check-in and the alert and contact tracing reliability."

England’s NHS Test and Trace programme has worked closely with major tech companies, including Google and Apple, scientists within the Alan Turing Institute, medical experts, privacy groups, at-risk communities and teams in countries across the world such as Germany using similar apps, to develop a state-of-the-art app that is safe, simple and secure.

The app has a range of additional, enhanced features that will help to reduce personal and public risk from COVID-19 as part of the end-to-end Test and Trace service:

• Alert: letting users know the level of coronavirus risk in their postcode district.

• Check In: alerting users if they have recently visited a venue where they may have come into contact with someone who later tests positive with COVID-19

• Symptoms: allowing users to check if they have coronavirus symptoms and see if they need to order a free test all in one place

• Test: helping users book a free test through the app and get results quickly to know whether they have COVID-19.

• Isolate: if a user is told to self-isolate, a timer feature will help countdown that period and access will be provided to relevant advice.