THE Covid self-isolation app could be watered down in DAYS amid fears it will cripple the economy as Freedom Day looms.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid told developers they must come up with a more "proportionate approach" as concerns mount over the number of people deleting it or turning off Bluetooth so they can't be tracked.

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More than 85,000 people a day are currently being told to self-isolate, the latest figures show.

The app sent 356,036 alerts in the week to June 30 — up 62 per cent in a week.

But the app's "sensitivity" will soon be reduced to cut the numbers being asked to isolate unnecessarily, sources told the Daily Mail.

Business leaders have warned that staff absences through self-isolation could damage the economy this summer after restrictions lift on July 19.

NHS leaders said health services could also be disrupted and called for doctors and nurses to be given an exemption.

But Boris Johnson has urged people not to ditch the Test and Trace tool just yet.

The PM said today: "I know how difficult it would have been for people and I'm sorry for the hassle that people experienced as a result of this.

"It is coming to an end, but what we want to do is use this next few weeks just to do more vaccinations until we're able to move from quarantining from isolation to a tested release system."

It comes as more than four million could be forced into isolation within weeks, BBC reports.

Currently, the app pings everyone who spends 15 minutes within two metres of someone who later tests positive.

Downing Street today confirmed work was under way to tone down the app's settings to stop contacts being constantly pinged.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak earlier confirmed the Health Secretary is looking at an "appropriate, balanced and proportionate" approach following the backlash.

Grilled on the farce, Mr Sunak told Sky News: "I've spoken to the Health Secretary about this and he's aware of the frustration that people have around this.

"We have two different systems for the test and trace: we have obviously the NHS one, and we also have the app.

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"I know most people's concerns rest with how the app is working and the Health Secretary is aware of that.

"The app counts for the majority of the people who need to isolate, I understand, on the numbers and he's looking at what the most appropriate, balanced and proportionate approach to isolation is in these circumstances."

And Jenny Harries, head of NHS Test and Trace, told MPs yesterday: “It’s entirely possible to tune the app to ensure that it’s appropriate to the risk.”

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