Battle in Portugal over plans for compulsory virus app

A man holds a mobile phone displaying the app StayAway Covid, in Lisbon on Oct 16. — AFP

LISBON: Portugal's government is in damage control mode after it triggered widespread outrage and ignored EU guidelines with plans to make a Covid-19 contract tracing app compulsory.

Dubbed "Stay Away Covid", the app warns users when they have been near someone who has recently tested positive for the coronavirus.