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whats going on
There was a lot of talk about the role that big tech companies could play in monitoring and controlling the spread of the virus in the early stages of the corona virus infection. Those technological tools became a reality in the intervening months, but they still had a long way to go before they could make a significant dent in the explosive sizes in the United States.
On Thursday, California became the latest state to launch an app developed by Apple and Google that uses phone data to notify people who have spent significant time near someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Individuals who receive alertness are advised to self-isolate to break the exchange chain. The apps use Bluetooth data, which makes it impossible to find anonymous and private users, experts say. Similar applications are now available to more than 150 million Americans in 18 states, including Washington, DC and Guam.
Applications should be an effective complement to human contact tracers that monitor the spread of the virus by calling the contacts of infected individuals. Communication tracking has been an important part of epidemics for centuries, but tracking efforts in the United States have been hampered by limited resources, the availability of sap testing and the reluctance of many people to participate.
There is debate as to why
Many experts see reason to believe that utilities could play a significant role in controlling the spread of the virus if used by enough individuals. A sample released by epidemiologists in April suggested that if 60 percent of the population used them, the applications would help put an end to the epidemic altogether.
The technology to do that is now available. At this point, however, achieving that level of utility seems more imaginative than the achievable goal. Lack of availability, limited awareness, technical barriers and privacy concerns are exploiting only a small percentage of the population in participating states. Applications will not work if not enough people use them.
Colorado use is downloaded by 20 percent of the population, but in many places, the rate is lower in single digits. Additionally, downloading an app does not mean that the person will use it. Application developers, the vast majority of users who test positive decline to send exposure notifications, have no way of knowing who revealed them to recipients. Comparable struggles have been experienced in other countries that have developed similar applications. The use of Google and Apple by states indicates a lower privacy risk, but experts say hundreds of private apps are much less secure.
Although the number of users of applications is low, applications can still be valuable. Each person who is isolated breaks the chain of exchange that leads to thousands more cases after being notified of possible exposure. Utilities are also particularly helpful for subordinate communities where participation is higher than the wider population. University of Arizona health experts have an early monitoring app to help prevent explosions on campus in the fall.
What’s next
Four more states – Arizona, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Oregon – plan to launch their own versions of the app in the future. California is seen by many as a real test case for American technology because of its enormous and relatively small number of technology enthusiasts. It remains to be seen whether Golden State will be more successful than other parts of the country in convincing people to use its application.
Perspectives
Setbacks
At this point, applications indicate a missed opportunity
“In theory, such applications could raise one of the most difficult tasks in epidemic control: detecting contacts of people infected with the corona virus to test and isolate them if necessary. In practice, however, widespread COVID-19 misinformation, the complexity of the technology, and the lack of oversight and awareness required to quickly confirm a diagnosis have all posed obstacles. ”- Brian Anderson and Matt O’Brien, Associated Press
Applications will not work if people do not use them
“This system only works if a lot of people buy it, but people will only buy it if they know it works.” – Ray Ellen Pitchell, Kaiser Health News
Political polarization means that a significant portion of the population refuses to use them
“A lot of things work against it. Unfortunately, in the United States, COVID is more politicized than any other country, and I think it affects people’s willingness to use the tools to monitor it.”
There is no national plan to increase the user base for such applications
“One reason why this patchwork of different organizations is so difficult to provoke widespread adoption is that different applications have different installation instructions depending on where you live, and because they are not available to all Americans, they are often lost in the conversation about how the United States responds to the Corona virus.” – Cat Zakrevsky, Washington
Emphasis on the privacy of applications makes the data they generate less useful
“These new applications prioritize privacy, but as a result they are unable to provide detailed information that can help public health officials or answer questions raised by individuals who receive disclosure notices.” – Lori Granner, The Hill
Many Americans focus only on protecting themselves
“People will accept the app to see if they are around someone else who has tested positive, but do not want to let others know if they are positive.” – Tim Brookins, application developer for the New York Times
Opportunities
An increase in infections may force more individuals to use utilities
“They emerged as promising tools in the early stages of epidemics, but technical shortcomings, privacy concerns and rejection approaches in the United States over security measures diminish their benefits. The tide may change as cold weather and locks threaten global upheaval in the event of fatigue. ”- Paresh Dave, Reuters
Current applications are the first test that could be a powerful tool in future infections
“The lessons we learn will affect how we respond to future epidemics. I think it is important to evaluate its impact right now and determine if it will be part of our plan to respond to future epidemics. ”- Epidemiologist Mike Reid on the edge
Applications are designed to protect privacy
“I’m the first person to warn us not to trust companies or the government with our personal data, but after examining the data that comes out of these government-provided applications and services, I’m not at high risk of having them on my phone.”
Even a small impact can save lives
“Digital communication tracking is about finding out who is being exposed to the health sector by using smartphones to reduce the spread of COVID-19. While the revelation announcements are not the panic that many technologists expect, new research suggests that breaking even a few links in the transfer chain could save lives.” – Cat Ferguson , MIT Technology Review
Utilities help to close gaps in the traditional communication channel
“Health officials believe the warnings are especially helpful in cases where the victim has been in contact with strangers – for example on the bus, train or checkout line – and they will not know they have been exposed.” Hope Karimi, CNN
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