In an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19, the federal government has announced a new app that will use bluetooth technology to alert Australians if they’ve been in contact with someone infected by the virus, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Australians will be able to download the app in the next few weeks (it will be opt-in, not mandatory). It’s based on a similar app called Trace Together, which has been available in Singapore since March 20.
The new technology is a result of a collaboration between Apple and Google, which aims to assist health authorities around the world in tracking and containing Covid-19.
Importantly, the app won’t track your location. Rather, the only data collected will be “user keys” of those you’ve been in contact with, which only leave your phone if you test positive, The Guardian reports.
A user that contracts the virus can let health authorities know, and those that have been in contact with them will be issued an alert.
It’s not currently clear whether the app will be compatible with both Apple and Android, or whether it will be integrated into an existing local health authority or government agency app.
