Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: Aug 4, 2020
Date Accepted: Nov 3, 2020
Date Submitted to PubMed: Nov 6, 2020
COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps: A Technologic Tower of Babel and the gap for international pandemic control
ABSTRACT
As the world struggles with the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, tracking apps of various types have been adopted in many jurisdictions for combating the spread of the virus. However, even if successful in containing the virus within national boarders, these apps will not be effective as soon as international travel is resumed. The problem rests in the plurality of apps and their inability to operate in a synchronized manner, as well as the absence of an international entity with the power to coordinate and analyze the information collected by the disparate apps. The risk of creating a useless Tower of Babel of COVID-19 tracking apps is very real, endangering global health. We analyze the different models of contact tracing apps around the world, highlight legal challenges, and propose a coordinated solution to promote safe international travelling and global pandemic control.
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