The government has chosen the app
that will speed up tracing coronavirus contagion and contribute
to the management of 'phase two' of the emergency.
It is called Immuni and it meets the criteria set by Europe:
it is voluntary, anonymous and uses bluetooth technology.
But it will be necessary to convince 60% of the Italian
population to use it to make it work.
Experts have asked the government to publish the
application's source code to have a clearer idea of its use and
any eventual vulnerability, including in terms of privacy.
"It is an instrument that speeds up the tracing of contacts
but that does not take away the fact that it needs to count on
people," said Silvio Brusaferro, the director of the Higher
Health Institute (ISS).
The Immuni app will first be tested in a few regions and then
extended, explained Emergency Commissioner Domenico Arcuri, who
signed the ordinance that effectively selected the
contact-tracing system of the Milan-based Bending Spoons Spa
company.
The app is based on bluetooth technology.
Every smartphone will regularly emit an anonymous ID code
that can be picked up by other smartphones using the same app in
the area - within a few metres.
If one of the app users reports that they have tested
positive for the coronavius, the system makes it possible to
inform the people with whom they have been close to in the
previous few days.
Immuni will also feature a sort of "clinical diary" where
each user will be able to store information about their state of
health with the option to update it if there are changes.
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