Australians are being encouraged to not only download but activate the COVIDSafe app on their phones, with the Deputy Chief Medical Officer arguing it has had "a number of recent and notable successes".
Key points:
- The COVIDSafe app recently helped NSW health authorities trace 544 new contacts, two of whom tested positive to COVID-19
- Dr Coatsworth urged Australians to encourage their friends and family to download the mobile app
- He says the app is still functioning and is working better following updates to its algorithm
Nearly 7 million Australians have downloaded the contact-tracing app since its launch in April, but so far it has only identified a handful of new coronavirus cases.
One of the most recent examples was in New South Wales where the app helped health authorities trace 544 new contacts, two of whom tested positive to COVID-19.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth said the app was "coming into its own" now that most states and territories were easing their restrictions and re-opening their economies.
"We see what happens when you have an essentially open economy as you do in New South Wales," he said.
"And that's where COVIDSafe comes into its own.
"That's where you're in touch with people who are strangers, potentially for prolonged periods of time, and it's difficult to identify who you were in touch with over the last 14 days."
The multi-million dollar app is designed to complement manual contact tracing of COVID-19 cases.
But its limited success has left it exposed to criticism, with Labor labelling it "a $2 million dud".
Its value was again called into question last week when Victorian health authorities revealed they had stopped using the app briefly because it was failing to pick up any new cases.
But Dr Coatsworth said the app was still functioning and a number of updates to the algorithm had "undoubtedly" improved its effectiveness.
"We want that app activated on your phones," he said.
With the nation anxiously waiting to see some results from Victoria's extraordinary lockdown, Dr Coatsworth says it appeared the state's COVID-19 cases are beginning to plateau.
"The challenging thing about COVID is that you never really know where you are on the curve," he said.
"It appears we're in the plateau but we're looking for the inflection point that tells Victorians that their efforts are being rewarded."
He had a message to all Australians about the collective effort required to prevent outbreaks of COVID-19 elsewhere in the country; keep up good hygiene and social distancing.
"We must continue to encourage our friends and family," he said.
"If you are a mother or a father whose teenager or 20-year-old doesn't appear to be getting the message, then now is of course the time to encourage them."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMia2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA4LTA5L2F1c3RyYWxpYW5zLWVuY291cmFnZWQtdG8tYWN0aXZhdGUtY292aWRzYWZlLWNvcm9udmlydXMtYXBwLzEyNTM5NDk00gEnaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEyNTM5NDk0?oc=5
2020-08-09 08:23:00Z
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