Over a million have Covid app
by Niall Shanahan
 
Acting chief medical officer Ronan Glynn said testing and contact tracing would remain vital until there is a vaccine or an effective treatment for the virus.
Acting chief medical officer Ronan Glynn said testing and contact tracing would remain vital until there is a vaccine or an effective treatment for the virus.

More than a million people have now downloaded the Covid-19 tracker app, which was launched by the HSE on Tuesday. The app is designed to boost contact tracing measures by enabling users to identify close contacts and to alert them quickly if they need to test for the virus.

 

Fórsa is encouraging union members to download the app to their smartphone as part of the national effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

 

The app was developed by the HSE with input from a range of official bodies including Gardai and the office of the government chief information officer.

 

Research conducted by Science Foundation Ireland, who are technical partners in the project, shows that most people in Ireland are in favour of an app, with 82% of respondents willing to install it.

 

Acting chief medical officer Ronan Glynn said testing and contact tracing would remain vital until there is a vaccine or an effective treatment for the virus.

 

“The app is integral to contact tracing, working in tandem with the key public health measures of social distancing, hand washing, covering our coughs and wearing face coverings, helping us to stay safe and to protect each other,” he said.

 

The HSE’s chief executive Paul Reid said the app can reduce – from days to hours – the time it takes to trace close contacts, including close contacts who are not known to each other.

 

“Every additional contact that the app can trace will improve our existing contact tracing operations. By downloading the app, you are helping us to reach more people in a shorter time period and to provide the right advice and access to testing. This will increase our capacity to suppress the virus,” he said.

 

Get more information about the app HERE.

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.

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