U.K. iPhone and iPad users who open the App Store this morning are being met with a COVID-19 public service announcement from the British government, signaling an expansion of Apple's efforts to prominently display official coronavirus alerts on its devices.

coronavirus app store uk psa
Tapping on the prioritized card takes users to an NHS app link and a video containing coronavirus protection guidance from the UK government's chief medical officer, professor Chris Whitty:

To help save lives, stay at home. Anyone can spread coronavirus. You should now only go out when absolutely necessary, for food, medicine, work, or exercise. Always try to stay two meters apart. Do not meet others outside your household – even friends and family.

Stay Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives.

The ‌App Store‌ is an unfamiliar home for a PSA – Apple News would be the normal location for this kind of content – but Apple is obviously trying to get out the official guidance to as many users as possible, including anyone browsing for new apps and updates on their devices.

In the U.S., Apple began displaying White House public service announcements at the top of the ‌App Store‌ on March 21, offering official guidance on the "dos and don'ts" of social distancing. Users in other countries are also likely to see similar advice from their national governments.

This is just the latest of several other measures that Apple is taking in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apple said earlier this month that it is critically evaluating coronavirus-related apps submitted to the ‌App Store‌ to ensure data sources are reputable and that developers presenting these apps are from recognized entities such as government organizations, health-focused NGOs, companies deeply credentialed in health issues, and medical or educational institutions.

Top Rated Comments

ignatius345 Avatar
64 months ago

If you go outside for essentials only, wear a mask. Protect yourself and others. Best be safe than sorry.
Here in the US there is an acute shortage of N95 masks in hospitals. People walking around outside need to maintain proper social distancing (6 feet) and not hoard PPE that our medical people desperately need.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iGeek2019 Avatar
64 months ago
Given how some people over here seem to have ‘carried on’ regardless I guess it’s another way of saying: listen, it’s for your own good!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
page3 Avatar
64 months ago
British government have been amazing so far. Daily press conference with different experts giving clear and concise updates and advice. Very happy with how they are handling an extremely difficult and worrying situation.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NightFox Avatar
64 months ago

You jest? British government have been amazing so far. Daily press conference with different experts giving clear and concise updates and advice. Very happy with how they are handling an extremely difficult and worrying situation.
I think the problem is that many people seem to take the view that the Government's inability to say "here you go, all solved for you" is gross incompetence, an attitude unfortunately stoked by elements of the media with nothing else to report on and many people's tendency to rely on Facebook as their primary source of news and information.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NightFox Avatar
64 months ago

No actual link to the app?
Given that the article is actually about where that link can be found, I'm not sure that's really a massive problem.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Akiainavas Avatar
64 months ago

British government have been amazing so far. Daily press conference with different experts giving clear and concise updates and advice. Very happy with how they are handling an extremely difficult and worrying situation.
You are kidding right ?

We’ve been hearing that it’s not a big deal for over 3 weeks. The crazy Italians are overreacting they said, then that they want at least 60% of the population to get it to become immune ( despite the fact a 2-3% mortality rate amongst 60% of a 60 million population would mean hundreds of thousands of death and absolutely no scientific backing of that idea - in Japan people cought the virus again after recovering ), then that economy is more important than the lives of people... we only mandated lockdown when cases started to skyrocket... schools didn’t close until a few days ago, we’ve been hearing constant mixed messages and despite massive shortages the government is refusing to join Europe wide purchasing scheme essentially putting us at the back of the queue despite being invited to participate even though we left the EU and deciding not to join out of pure spite... essentially denying the public and NHS workers life saving equipment.

And do i need to mention the lies about 350m for NHS that are nowhere to be found ? Or maybe claims by the government how Nurses are “low skilled” and not needed - while they are now begging the public to volunteer, including European nationals they spat on for years ?

Or should i mention British nationals stuck abroad with absolutely zero assistance from the government to even get them home while they are busy deporting innocent people because clearly that’s more important...

How about general panic and empty shelves which prove that people don’t trust the government ? How about racist attacks on Asian population that the government hasn’t even addressed etc...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

2007 iPhone

Apple Discontinuing This 18-Year-Old iPhone Feature

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:51 pm PST by
The end of an 18-year era is on the horizon for the iPhone. Apple reportedly plans to announce a new iPhone SE as soon as next week, and the device is expected to feature a full-screen design with Face ID, instead of a Touch ID home button. That means Apple will no longer sell any new iPhone models with a home button, for the first time since the original iPhone launched. The home button...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches Next Week

Monday February 10, 2025 3:05 am PST by
Oppo has confirmed a February 20 global launch for its Find N5, which the company claims is the world's thinnest device in the foldable phone category. The phone is expected to be re-branded as the OnePlus Open 2 in the US. The Chinese vendor has been teasing the device in the last few weeks, touting its waterproofing and nearly invisible display crease, and highlighting its thinness by compa...
m2 macbook air blue

M4 MacBook Air Release Continues to Appear Imminent

Monday February 10, 2025 10:56 am PST by
There continue to be signs of a new MacBook Air with an M4 chip, indicating that we could see the machine launch in the not too distant future. A private account on X today shared the identifiers that the MacBook Air will use, and those identifiers correspond to the M4 chip. According to the source, both the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with Apple's...
sequoia

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.3.1

Monday February 10, 2025 10:11 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.3.1, a minor update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that came out last September. macOS 15.3.1 comes a few weeks after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. Apple has also released macOS 13.7.4 and macOS 14.7.4 for those who are...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple

Apple Increases Mac Trade-In Values for a Limited Time

Sunday February 9, 2025 3:53 pm PST by
Apple today increased its estimated trade-in values for select Mac models in the United States, with the full changes outlined below. Apple says the extra trade-in credit for select Macs is available with the purchase of an eligible new Apple device through April 2. The trade-in values increased by between $10 and $50. Model New Value Old Value MacBook Pro Up to $925 ...
Powerbeats Pro 2 Orange

Powerbeats Pro 2 Given to Customer Early, Expected to Debut Tomorrow

Monday February 10, 2025 7:42 am PST by
Apple's long-awaited Powerbeats Pro 2 are finally expected to be announced this Tuesday. Ahead of time, one lucky Walmart customer was able to get their hands on the earbuds early, according to a since-deleted Reddit post over the weekend. A leaked image of the Powerbeats Pro 2 in Electric Orange "My local Walmart had them in the cage," the Reddit user explained. "I asked if I can buy them...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.3.1

Monday February 10, 2025 10:04 am PST by
Apple today released watchOS 11.3.1, a minor update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.3.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.3.1 can be downloaded by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.3.1 With Bug Fixes

Monday February 10, 2025 10:09 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1, minor updates for the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.3.1 comes two weeks after Apple released iOS 18.3. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iPadOS 17.7.5 for those still running...