Contact Tracing Apps Not Used Much in United States
2020-12-11
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1Six months ago, Apple and Google released a new tool for smartphone users.
2The program, or app, informs users of their possible exposure to someone infected with COVID-19.
3However, an Associated Press examination shows that few people in the United States are using the app.
4The smartphone program is not widely available in most U.S. states and territories.
5Information from 16 states, Guam and the District of Columbia shows that 8.1 million people had used the technology as of late November.
6Around 110 million people live in those areas.
7Computer apps could help public health workers with contact tracing, a difficult job in pandemic control.
8Contact tracers search for individuals who may have come in contact with an infected person.
9The contact tracing tool is free and can be found in Apple's app store and the Google Play store for Android devices.
10Some state health-department websites also offer the program for downloading.
11Experts and users say there are several reasons behind the low level of use in the U.S.
12"There's a lot of things working against it," said Jessica Vitak, a professor at the University of Maryland's College of Information Studies.
13"Unfortunately, in the U.S., COVID has been politicized far more than in any other country. I think that's affecting people's willingness to use tools to track it," she said.
14Politicize is a term that means to make something a political issue.
15Apple and Google created the main technology behind such contact tracing apps.
16These apps use Bluetooth wireless signals to anonymously detect when two phones have spent time in a close area.
17If an app user tests positive for the virus, that person's phone can alert other people that they have spent time near.
18The apps do not give names, locations, or any other identifying information.
19In states such as Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland and Washington, iPhone users do not have to download an app.
20Apple asks users to start the system by changing their phone settings.
21In these states, app usage levels are higher.
22But even in the most successful state, Connecticut, only about a fifth of people have agreed to this tracking.
23Tracing apps are more commonly used in some other countries.
24Irish app developer NearForm says more than 25 percent of Ireland's population uses its COVID-19 app.
25In Ireland, "all sides of the political divide came together with a consistent message on this is what we need to do," said Larry Breen, NearForm's chief commercial officer.
26In other places in Europe, app use has been mixed.
27 Germany and Britain have usage levels close to Ireland's.
28In Finland, the number is about 45 percent, according to data from the MIT Technology Review.
29In France, however, less than four percent of the population is using the official COVID app.
30That program runs a data collection system that is less sensitive to privacy concerns than the Apple-Google system.
31I'm John Russell.
1Six months ago, Apple and Google released a new tool for smartphone users. The program, or app, informs users of their possible exposure to someone infected with COVID-19. 2However, an Associated Press examination shows that few people in the United States are using the app. The smartphone program is not widely available in most U.S. states and territories. 3Information from 16 states, Guam and the District of Columbia shows that 8.1 million people had used the technology as of late November. Around 110 million people live in those areas. 4Apps and the pandemic 5Computer apps could help public health workers with contact tracing, a difficult job in pandemic control. Contact tracers search for individuals who may have come in contact with an infected person. 6The contact tracing tool is free and can be found in Apple's app store and the Google Play store for Android devices. Some state health-department websites also offer the program for downloading. 7Experts and users say there are several reasons behind the low level of use in the U.S. 8"There's a lot of things working against it," said Jessica Vitak, a professor at the University of Maryland's College of Information Studies. 9"Unfortunately, in the U.S., COVID has been politicized far more than in any other country. I think that's affecting people's willingness to use tools to track it," she said. 10Politicize is a term that means to make something a political issue. 11Apple and Google created the main technology behind such contact tracing apps. These apps use Bluetooth wireless signals to anonymously detect when two phones have spent time in a close area. If an app user tests positive for the virus, that person's phone can alert other people that they have spent time near. The apps do not give names, locations, or any other identifying information. 12In states such as Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland and Washington, iPhone users do not have to download an app. Apple asks users to start the system by changing their phone settings. In these states, app usage levels are higher. But even in the most successful state, Connecticut, only about a fifth of people have agreed to this tracking. 13International views on tracing apps 14Tracing apps are more commonly used in some other countries. 15Irish app developer NearForm says more than 25 percent of Ireland's population uses its COVID-19 app. 16In Ireland, "all sides of the political divide came together with a consistent message on this is what we need to do," said Larry Breen, NearForm's chief commercial officer. 17In other places in Europe, app use has been mixed. Germany and Britain have usage levels close to Ireland's. In Finland, the number is about 45 percent, according to data from the MIT Technology Review. 18In France, however, less than four percent of the population is using the official COVID app. That program runs a data collection system that is less sensitive to privacy concerns than the Apple-Google system. 19I'm John Russell. 20The Associated Press reported this story. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. 21_____________________________________________________________ 22Words in This Story 23exposure - n. the fact or condition of being subject to some effect or influence 24consistent - adj. always acting or behaving in the same way 25We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.