Warwickshire County Council have urged businesses with a physical location in Kenilworth and the rest of the county to prepare for the NHS Covid-19 app.

The app is due to be launched on Thursday 24 September, and businesses are urged to prepare by downloading a QR code poster for their premises from the government's website.

Key to the success of the NHS Covid-19 app is that businesses such as pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, cinemas and other businesses with areas open to the public clearly display the NHS QR code posters at all their entrances, so customers who have downloaded the Covid-19 app can use their smartphones to check in easily.

It is a legal requirement for such premises to display the posters which must replace any existing QR codes that businesses are displaying for test and trace or for the recent Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

The new app has a range of features that will help reduce personal and public risk from Covid-19 as part of the wider test and tracing services. The app's features are:

QR CHECK IN: allowing users to scan QR codes as they enter public locations and then alerting them if they have recently visited a venue where they may have come into contact with someone who later tests positive with Covid-19. If they themselves have a positive test for Covid-19, the app will tell them exactly where they visited and when – vital information they can share with contact tracing teams helping to manage the virus and protect others.

RISK ALERT: letting users know the level of coronavirus risk in their postcode district.

SYMPTOM CHECK: 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.

ISOLATION COUNTDOWN: if a user is told to self-isolate, a timer will help countdown that period and relevant advice will be provided.

Businesses are just one sector being encouraged to use the NHS system. Universities, hospitals, leisure premises, civic centres and libraries will also be urged to display posters in communal areas such as cafes.

Warwickshire County Council is urging all such businesses to download the QR code posters as soon as possible ahead of the launch this week. QR codes will be crucial in helping people record their movements, thereby supporting the NHS Test, Trace, Protect system.

The NHS QR code and check in function is in addition to existing measures. Venues in Warwickshire which are legally required to collect and keep a record of visitors, need to continue to do so.

Cllr Les Caborn, Portfolio holder for Adult Social Care and Health said "With the numbers of coronavirus cases rising across the country, the launch of the NHS Covid-19 app is an important part of the coronavirus response.

"It is essential that Warwickshire businesses do all they can to protect their customers and control the spread of the virus. The Government has stressed that all businesses with a physical location open to the public must support the roll out of the app and download their QR posters to help defeat the virus."

Managing Director of the NHS Covid-19 App, Simon Thompson said "My team has worked tirelessly to develop the new NHS COVID-19 app and we are incredibly grateful to all residents of the Isle of Wight, London Borough of Newham, NHS Volunteer Responders and the team that went before us; the learnings and insight have made the app what it is today.

"The QR system is a free, easy and privacy preserving way to check-in customers to venues, and we encourage all businesses to get involved and download and display the official NHS QR code posters."

The app is built using the Google/Apple application programming interface (API) and a Quick Response (QR) code system, both of which are based on a decentralised model where the government does not have access to citizen data

Businesses should download their QR code posters by following this link.