The COVID tracker seems to be the must-have app that countries are slowly embracing and requesting their residents to have. In a developing country like Uganda is the app effective when a big number of the population do not have a smartphone? Do those that do have an idea of the existence of the app and its importance? Will this app be another one of the things that the developing countries say “ it belongs to the rich” and as Swahili people say “ ni ya watu masonko” or will this be different. This app is totally free when downloaded from the play store making it acceptable by the public.
The COVID tracker App is proof that technology is growing every day with people coming up with new innovations every day. Will Uganda be able to catch up? The app is like a ‘virus tinder’ where you get notifications when you are 2metres near a person who tested positive for COVID.
If Uganda is to embrace this cutting-edge technology, will everyone in the public use it? When the Ministry of Education could not get its radio project on a Rolling Stone what’s to say the Ministry of health will do any better?
How to get the App.
You can download the official app that has been authorized by your countries public health authorities from the play store. Apps that have an Exposure Notification System have a badge and those that do not have the badge do not use the Exposure Notification System.
How to download an official app:
- Find available apps for your region.
- If an app is available, download it from the play store.
HOW IT WORKS
The tracker app is designed to use Bluetooth connectivity and can only be of use if the Bluetooth notification is turned on meaning if your Bluetooth is turned off then the app is of no use to you. The decision to turn on the exposure notification is strictly optional and one can choose to share their COVID status or not.
HOW IT HELPS
- Alerts you if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.
- Speeds up contact tracing, identifying people who may be at risk from coronavirus
- Helps the contact tracing teams by reducing the time it takes to alert you if you are in close contact with up to 3 hours.
- By slowing down the spread of the virus.
- It helps to keep others safe if you test positive and notify the app to alert those you have been in contact with.
The more people that download the app, the more it will assist in contact tracing, the more effective and efficient it will be in making sure that the sick are separated from the healthy.
The app can also assist in having medical respondents talking to you about your systems as you decide to go see a doctor. It can also warn you when there is an increased number of positive cases in your community and why you should self isolate. It acts like a virus reminder that tells you to wear a mask, social distance, and keep safe and it can direct you to safe zones to be around.
IS IT SAFE????
YES!! According to the developers of the original software, the app is totally safe. The information stored in it is completely private and personal that can only be accessed if the owner chooses. The location of your phone is under no circumstance tracked since the Exposure Notification System does not collect or use the location from your device. The individualistic IDs that are generated by the app is private and keeps changing every 10-20secs.
No one has information on your status except for you and your app, your identity is totally hidden. Not Goggle or apple or any other user can have any access to your data without your knowledge.
NOTE: Only public health authorities can use this system.
This app is only available when an individual country chooses to launch it, with countries such as Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, and South Korea already having it on the operation, Uganda seems to have not caught the buzz.
Though the question on everyone’s mind regarding this app is what will the government do with such kind of information. At the end of the day, it’s just an app that can be hacked and all the data altered. How effective will this type of technology be to a country that lack of electricity is still an issue?
A country where malaria is still a big problem for its citizens. With the huge stigma still surrounding this virus, how will neighbors treat each other once they find about their neighbors’ condition? With such kind of power given to the government, how will it treat its citizens?
A few of the people I talked to strongly agree with this type of technology citing that contact tracing should be a priority especially because this is a virus that can be asymptomatic making it more lethal to the public. There will be no need for Ugandans to leave their contact information to strangers at institutions as suggested by the government. The app’s connectivity will be there to inform and educate users.
The question I’m posing to the public today,
Is it worth it?
