Alabama is at the forefront of a newly introduced tool in the nationwide attempt to decrease new COVID-19 cases. According to ABC 33/40,  Alabama is one of three states to agree to use contact tracing along with North Dakota and South Carolina.

The goal is for this technology to use mobile devices to alert individuals when they may have been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. This is the same technology used in South Korea that helped lower the number of new Coronavirus cases. I think this is a great tool and will be useful in identifying hotspots around Alabama for COVID-19. If I'm at the park with my family and was able to get a notification to my phone letting me know "This area has a high number of COVID-19 Cases," I'd definitely feel less stressed about being at risk.

Apple & Google recently launched the software to make this possible but will not be responsible for creating the actual contact tracing apps. That duty will be left to each state's respective public health departments. Many are skeptical about the possible privacy issues this new tool may create. Apple & Google will protect the user through encryption and other methods to ensure the user's privacy. At this point, I'm all for the safest, most effective method of decreasing new cases in Alabama. With more businesses being able to open, it only means more people will be outside who could possibly have the virus and not know about it. I'd love to be able to have those alerts on my device as an added assurance.

 

 

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