Two Million Australians Download Coronavirus Contact-Tracing App
- Software records digital handshake between smartphones
- Tracking app needs to overcome privacy concerns to succeed
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More than two million people in Australia have downloaded mobile-phone software designed to help trace coronavirus infections, as parts of the country start to loosen restrictions on movement.
The COVIDSafe app records digital handshakes between smartphones via Bluetooth, and if someone catches the virus, health authorities can track who has been within 1.5 meters of the person for 15 minutes or more.