Virus masks, apps: The race is on to avoid hidden Covid-19 carriers

Medical staffs evacuate a patient infected with the Covid-19 virus, on April 1, 2020 at Orly airport, south of Paris. The operation aims at relieving hospitals in the Paris region. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. — DICOD/AP

NEW YORK: The worldwide race to protect people against unwitting coronavirus carriers intensified on April 2, pitting governments against each other in the race to buy protective gear and prompting new questions about who should wear masks, get temperature checks or even be permitted to go outside.

In the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic began in December, a green symbol on their smartphones dictates the movements of residents. Green is the "health code" that says a user is symptom-free and it’s required to board a subway, check into a hotel or enter the central city of 11 million. Serious travel restrictions still exist for those who have yellow or red symbols.