Korona Stop Gadget: What does Aurelijus Veryga say about the new digital pandemic management tool?



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Google’s Play Store advertises that the tool has been downloaded by over 10,000 users in just 24 hours, and Apple’s App Store doesn’t even offer rough downloads publicly.

In theory, approximately 80 percent of the country’s population could download the application; there are roughly the same number of smartphone users in Lithuania. The upper limit of implementation, about which health experts are optimistic, is 60 percent, but so far, the record for similar applications is a world record in other states of around 40 percent (Iceland and Singapore).

Health Minister Aurelijus Veryga said at a live conference: “This is a technology solution that is expected to make the NVSC’s work a bit easier. I encourage everyone to download and use the gadget, because it will only depend on whether it will help us to handle the situation or not. I want to reassure you in advance: it is not intended to track anyone or collect data. If you find such knowledge, then you don’t really believe those conspiracy theories. Its only objective is to warn those who were close to the infected person. “

Robertas Petraitis, Director of NVSC, spoke in more detail about the features and capabilities of the application.

According to him, the application is designed to inform people that they were close to an infected person. The main function is to measure the distance between smart devices.

The application is voluntary and its effectiveness will depend on how many people install and benefit from it. The more people use it, the greater its importance in managing a pandemic in Lithuania.

“I would like to reassure people who are concerned about tracking and data protection, because the application does not really track people or determine their location. Before starting the use of the application, its impact on the security of the personal data, as well as the evaluation was carried out by the National Cybersecurity Center ”, said R. Petraitis.

It is planned that in the near future this application will be able to exchange data with similar applications in other countries, which will be useful for people who travel.

According to R. Petraitis, the application is an important additional auxiliary tool for the management of COVID-19.

After downloading the application and granting it the requested permissions, it starts scanning the environment and communicates with other devices with the same application via Bluetooth. The application records the distance to the next phone and the time of the contact, but not the location of the contact, and does not identify the owner of the device.

If an app user is diagnosed with a COVID-19 infection, he or she may voluntarily indicate that they are infected in the Korona Stop app, in which case all phones to which the infected user’s device has been notified to some distance and for some time they will be notified. COVID-19 risk.

Petraitis noted that the app is only available to owners of devices with Apple and Google operating systems.

The user will be able to enter the notification of their infection in the application only if they receive a 4-digit short code from the NVSC: it will be issued only to people whose positive diagnosis is confirmed and is valid for only one day; without using the first code and delay, you will have to request again the next day in the code. This will prevent false voluntary reports of infection.

R. Petraitis did not deny that there may be cases in which the device shows a high risk of infection due to the diagnosis made to a neighbor who lives outside the border, in addition, the device cannot say if the contact persons wore masks during that contact, which is also known. reduces the risk of infection.

In all cases, if the applet foresees an increased risk of infection, it will provide all the recommendations on how to treat the person who received such a warning.

If you see a red message on the device indicating that your risk of infection is high, the device will advise you not to go home and if you experience symptoms, call 1808.

More about the Korona Stop gadget in this article.



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