News

Health | April 28, 2020

New smartphone app protecting our communities

The Federal Government’s new COVIDSafe smartphone application is a critical step forward to save lives and better protect our community against the spread of coronavirus.

COVIDSafe will provide accurate information that will speed up the process of identifying people who have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with coronavirus. Participation is voluntary.

The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy MP said downloading the app would get us one step closer to going back to normal life.

“I have chosen to sign up to COVIDSafe because better contact tracing will make it possible to quickly identify people who have come into contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus,” Ms Kealy said.

“Boosted contact tracing will mean outbreaks can be quickly identified and contained and give confidence that we can keep our community safe with relaxed restrictions.”

Information collected in the app cannot be accessed unless, and until, a person is diagnosed with COVID-19.

Once the person who has tested positive agrees and uploads the data, it will only be accessed by the relevant state or territory public health officials.

The leader of The Nationals in Victoria Peter Walsh said better contact tracing would help to maintain the low rate of positive cases in regional Victoria.

“I commend each and every country Victorian for their efforts to comply with restrictions on gatherings and social distancing rules, because it has saved lives,” Mr Walsh said.

“We’ve made big changes because we know it’s best for our community. The COVIDSafe health initiative will be a valuable tool to respond quickly to outbreaks.”

The app works by securely making a “digital handshake” with other users’ devices, noting the date, time and duration of the contact. The only information state and territory officials can access is that of close contacts – when a person has come within approximately 1.5 metres of another app user for 15 minutes or more.

Once the coronavirus pandemic is over and Australia no longer needs the app, the app and the information on it will be deleted permanently.

The app can be downloaded from the GooglePlay and Apple stores. For more information visit www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/covidsafe-app