New contact tracing apps stir hope for virus fighters in US states

A file photo of a Covid-19 contact tracing smartphone app from Britain’s National Health Service (NHS). Apps in Germany and England each have seen about 20 million downloads since summer launches. — Reuters

OAKLAND, California: A new wave of mobile apps that help track exposure to the coronavirus is coming to US states ahead of the holidays as public health officials bet that recently introduced features from Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google will significantly boost adoption and impact.

Colorado, Maryland and District of Columbia launched exposure-notification apps with the new technology in the last month, garnering over 2.3 million users combined, according to their public health departments. California, Washington and other states expect to follow in the next month, officials said.