COVID-19 is invisible, but the people who are diagnosed with it are not. And so for epidemiologists to do their disease detective work to prevent more cases, people are their most valuable clues. One way to follow these clues is through contact tracing. Yet a study from Avira finds that the majority of Americans are against apps that would allow this.
Contact-tracing apps are being used in South Korea and Singapore and are often credited as part of the countries’ success in keeping COVID-19 numbers low. Germany, which has done remarkably well so far without the technology, has just introduced one using a Google and Apple API. The United States does not have such an app, but one with the same API is on the horizon. Just how effective an app will be isn't known, but certainly, low adoption will hamper any chance that it could help.
Of the over 2,000 people surveyed by Avira, 71 percent said that they would not download a contact-tracing app because of privacy concerns. The source of such an app has a lot to do with the level of trust. An app from a tech company such as Google and Apple is viewed as more secure, with 32 percent saying they would feel safe giving the companies their data. But only 14 percent believe the government would protect their information properly.
The Google and Apple app that should be released in the coming months will not collect GPS data. Even with reassurances such as this, Avira has found that the app is likely to face other challenges, like the 34 percent of people who believe that it would provide a false sense of security and the 37 percent who feel it will not stop the spread.
Of course, much like wearing a mask, this is a self-fulfilling prophecy. A true solution for containing COVID-19 depends on our doing our part for the humans we are interdependent with: social distancing, wearing a mask, participating in contact tracing, and comprehensive testing.