As Europe faces second wave of virus, tracing apps lack impact


A man shows the contact tracing app Stayaway Covid on his cellphone, in Lisbon, Portugal. Mobile apps tracing new Covid cases were touted as a key part of Europe’s plan to beat the coronavirus outbreak. Seven months into the pandemic, virus cases are surging again and the apps have not been widely adopted due to privacy concerns, technical problems and lack of interest from the public. — AP

LONDON: Mobile apps tracing new Covid-19 cases were touted as a key part of Europe’s plan to beat the coronavirus outbreak. Seven months into the pandemic, virus cases are surging again and the apps have not been widely adopted due to privacy concerns, technical problems and lack of interest from the public.

Britain, Portugal, and Finland this month became the latest to unveil smartphone apps that alert people if they’ve been near someone who turned out to be infected so they can seek treatment or isolate – a key step in breaking the chain of contagion.

Subscribe now and get 30% off The Star Yearly Plan

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 9.73/month

Billed as RM 9.73 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 8.63/month

Billed as RM 103.60 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.


Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Others Also Read


Want to listen to full audio?

Unlock unlimited access to enjoy personalise features on the TheStar.com.my

Already a subscriber? Log In