Community-driven contact tracing
In the light of the corona global pandemic, trace, test, and treat are the mantra of each state. However, tracing the persons with symptoms and the people they have interacted with is easier said than done. TraceTogether is Singapore’s way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through community-driven contact tracing. This utility app uses Bluetooth signals to determine if users had close contact with a known COVID-case. If they do, the app allows the Ministry of Health to call you more quickly to provide guidance and care.
Identifying infected persons faster
The government’s existing contact tracing process depends heavily on the memory of patients. This makes it a lot harder for them to identify the person who might be infected since the patient might not remember all close contacts. Worse, they might not have the contact details and information of these individuals. As a contract-tracing smartphone app, TraceTogether allows the local authorities to quickly track people who have been exposed to confirmed coronavirus patients.
The mobile app can plug the gaps left by the state’s contact tracing. Using wireless Bluetooth technology, it can identify people, who have been two meters of COVID-19 patients in the last 30 minutes. Once installed, a user would only need to turn on the Bluetooth settings in their phones and enable the push notifications and location permissions in the app. No other data, such as name, location, or contact list, will be needed.
The Ministry of Health will be able to quickly find out which other users he/she has been in close contact with the infected person. This, in turn, can help in curbing the spread of the virus. TraceTogether encrypts your Bluetooth proximity data and stores it only on your phone. The MOH will only extract the log when needed, and upon approval of the user. Note that refusal to provide the requested data might result in prosecution under Singapore’s Infectious Disease Act.
A good initiative that needs improvement
TraceTogether is a great aid in helping fight the spread of coronavirus. It complements the contract tracing method of the MOH by allowing the efficient identification of people who were near an infected person. With this, flattening the curve can be easier.
However, while it is very helpful, the app is not without its faults. For one, for it to work, everyone must install the app on their phone. They also must enable their Bluetooth all the time. Doing so, however, can take its toll on your battery. The app has a marginally higher usage of battery, so you will need to charge your phone more than you usually do in a day.
The app’s use of your Bluetooth also affects your other apps. For instance, it disrupts your Bluetooth music and interrupts playback every 15 seconds. It also deters other phones from locating your phone. With this, sharing files via Bluetooth will only be possible if you close the app.
Help flatten the curve
TraceTogether is a great initiative from the government. With this, identifying the person who might be infected will be easier. There are some improvements needed in the app, but, all in all, this is already a huge step towards stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
