Starting next week, some travelers to Singapore will be tagged with an electronic monitoring device, designed to keep tabs on the spread of COVID-19, Reuters reports.
From Aug. 11, anyone entering the island from certain nations (Singaporean citizens and residents included) will be assigned a wearable device, allowing them to isolate at home, rather than in a state-appointed facility.
Details are scant; it's unclear to which countries these regulations apply, what the device looks like, or exactly how it operates. However, the gadget is expected to work in a similar way to house arrest ankle bracelets, relying on GPS and Bluetooth to track users. Any attempt to tamper with or remove the wearable immediately alerts authorities. Children aged 12 and under are exempt from the scheme, which does not store personal data or include audio or video recording functions, Singapore said in a statement published by Reuters.
Earlier this summer, the city-state—which has reported more than 52,820 coronavirus infections—began distributing TraceTogether tokens as an alternative to the government's contact tracing app of the same name. Fitted with unique QR codes and long-lasting batteries, they are aimed at folks who don't own or prefer not to use a smartphone, according to the BBC. Collected data will be encrypted and stored for a maximum of 25 days.
There is no word on whether the portable device is the same piece of tech that will be doled out at airports. Hong Kong and South Korea, meanwhile, have implemented similar measures, handing out smart electronic wristbands connected to mobile apps to track people's movements during quarantine.
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