I wish we had a phone app like South Korea

[Curiosity101]

There's a lot about how South Korea has handled this outbreak that I've been impressed by. Especially the app that alerts you to anywhere where people with confirmed cases have been. I think China had something similar.

I'm still seeing quite a lot of people who seem to think this outbreak wont affect them. I feel like if people were regularly getting phone updates to say their local shop, gym, workplace etc had been visited by a confirmed case then people would start to really feel like this is affecting them and respond accordingly.

I reckon it's probably too late for this particular phase of the outbreak but could help manage this over the longer term (along with a big increase in testing). It'd have to be developed and updated by the government / NHS though so it seems unlikely that they'll produce it.

Oops, completely wrong bit of the forum... I'll ask for it to be moved.

We're moving it over for you now, OP.

I agree, this would really help. Asia have handled this pandemic so much better than the west.

That only works if everyone carries an enabled smart phone or similar device. Do you want to live in the kind of world where we are monitored that closely? People were against ID cards only a few years ago but some would now be happy to be tagged in this way, strange.

That only works if everyone carries an enabled smart phone or similar device

From a first hand perspective yes. But I'd be very surprised if people didn't pass that information on to friends and family who live locally to give them a heads up.

Do you want to live in the kind of world where we are monitored that closely?

You wouldn't need to be monitored. You would need to enable geo location on your phone. Then any confirmed cases would be asked where they've been recently and those coordinates would be loaded into the app. Then when your phone entered those coordinates it would alert you to let you know. That's still a completely anonymous system so no one would need to track you for it to work.

South Korea’s way is needed because most of the population is poor and wouldn’t follow official advice unless they are made to via the risk of social embarrassment. Different societies.

Its the same with everyone calling for a full lock down, what will they ask for next martial law?

I think an temporary app for use during the outbreak would be helpful even if just for those of us who have smart phones. Its these measures that have allowed asia to turn the tide on infections.

That's still a completely anonymous system so no one would need to track you for it to work.

Its not. People have been outed in SK due to detailed descriptions

Its not. People have been outed in SK due to detailed descriptions

Sorry I wasn't clear. I'm not suggesting that how it's implemented on South Korea is anonymous. Just that it could be developed in the UK so it performs a similar function (alerting to local cases) whilst being completely anonymous.

That’s the point it can’t be anonymous. Also, apps on phones can get access to other phone systems and apps (this is why mobile bank frauds can often begin from other apps) especially on Android platforms. So it’s not truly anonymous and at some point data full of confidential information could be hacked. In South Korea, after what happened with SARS, losing that privacy was considered worth it but even they are reviewing this system in light of some of the issues (mainly suicides) that have happened.

SK is an ageing population and young people are considered precious - there is real fear on the ground that this system will cause even more youth suicides. There is pressure on the government to find alternative methods for tracking and tracing people.