NZ COVID Tracer app for Android and iOS

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freitasm

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#270639 19-May-2020 18:44

The apps are now available for Android and iOS

NZ COVID Tracer (Android)

NZ COVID Tracer (iOS)

The official NZ COVID Tracer app page.

The NZ COVID Tracer app FAQ.

As mentioned in the media today, a COVID-19 diary/tracing app should be released at some point tomorrow, 20th May. More details to come - will update this topic but for now just making it separate from the main (gigantic) thread.

Below the press release issued 20th May:

The Ministry of Health has today formally released the NZ COVID Tracer app to support contact tracing in New Zealand.

Kiwis who download the app will create a digital diary of the places they visit by scanning QR codes displayed at the entrances to business premises, other organisations and public buildings. People can also register their contact information through the app to make sure the National Close Contact Service can get in touch if they need to.

“One of our key public health responses to COVID-19 is to identify, trace and isolate cases and close contacts to prevent further spread. This app will help us do that. The more Kiwis that download and use it the better placed we are to act promptly to keep other New Zealanders safe.” says Director General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

Privacy and data security are incredibly important to New Zealanders. That’s why NZ COVID Tracer puts you in control of your information.

“Any information you decide to record with the app will be stored securely on your phone and deleted automatically after 31 days. It’s your choice whether you share any of this information with contact tracers, and any information you do share will be used only for public health purposes and never for enforcement,” says Dr Bloomfield.

“Like all mobile apps, NZ COVID Tracer will be updated over time as new features are developed. In the next release, NZ COVID Tracer will be able notify you if you have been at the same location at the same time as someone who has COVID-19 and will allow you to send your digital diary directly to the National Close Contact Service.

“You will also be able to self-report any COVID-19 symptoms so you can be tested for the virus if appropriate and will be able to complete a daily health check-in through the app if you’re in isolation.

“I encourage all New Zealanders to download the NZ COVID Tracer app to help protect yourself, your friends, whânau and community by making it easier to trace the people you’ve come into close contact with.

The National Close Contact Service, which we established at the beginning of the outbreak, will continue to lead contact tracing in New Zealand together with our Public Health Units.

NZ COVID Tracer is available now from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Further information about the app can be found at www.health.govt.nz/NZ-COVID-Tracer.

Businesses and other organisations can generate QR Code posters through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Business Connect service. For more information visit www.business.govt.nz/covid-19/contact-tracing.

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#2486605 19-May-2020 19:41

I guess naturally with all the debates from similar apps overseas, people want to know if their privacy is safe when they sign up and use the app. My guess is no though I'm interested to hear views of the GZ community on this.

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#2486607 19-May-2020 19:43

My biggest concern is it will be viewed by the non-technical folks as "the great panacea that will solve all problems" when that is realistically all it is is an easy way to electronically record the places you individually visited and may come in handy for contact tracing in the future if there is enough adoption. Looking at Singapore and AU that seems pretty low so the real value will be questionable.

freitasm

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#2486608 19-May-2020 19:46

Batman:
I guess naturally with all the debates from similar apps overseas, people want to know if their privacy is safe when they sign up and use the app. My guess is no though I'm interested to hear views of the GZ community on this.

I will be able to post more tomorrow but I would say there is very low risk when it comes to privacy and personal identifiable information.

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#2486609 19-May-2020 19:46

And on the Apple store: http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1511667597

antoniosk

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#2486613 19-May-2020 20:05

I wonder why such a straightforward app took so long to come out. There’s lots of variation being used in retail right now in central welly - pads and paper mainly.

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#2486615 19-May-2020 20:11

There are some bootleg video versions of this, But the transcript has some starting blurbs to assure people.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2020-05/18%20May%20Post-Cab%20Press%20Conference%202020%20%28002%29_0.pdf

Media: OK, and that’s going to function differently to the Australian app, which is—
PM: Yes, so let’s just be very, very clear: this is around, really, what I would describe
as a digital diary, helping users, when they’re out and about, keep a log of their own
movements, for instance between cafes and restaurants. That’s obviously something that
those businesses are doing themselves, but this is a way that people can do it that keeps the
data for themselves rather than adding it into any more broader repository that might be held
by a business.
Media: Just on that, just to allay people’s concerns, calling it a digital diary—
PM: For you.
Media: For yourself. So it is kept on your phone?
PM: Yes. It is for you, it is on you device, and it is your data and your information. And
I think that’s just really responding to some of the concerns that I’ve heard or seen. Some
people don’t want to fill in a paper-based form that will sit in a public place. Some people
have concerns about using apps that are provided by a business, because they’re concerned
maybe it’s going to be used for customer loyalty or so on, and that won’t always be the case,
but this is an option that means someone can hold their own data for themselves and feel
assured about that.
Media: How many people will need to sign up for that to be effective?
PM: No, it doesn’t—and that’s one of the things that’s really important here. This is
simply a way of you recording where you’ve been. It doesn’t require anyone else to be
involved at a particular scale to make it work for you. It’s just in case, in the future, if you find
yourself with COVID-19, you’ve got an easy reference to tell where you’ve been over a period
of time

Interesting how you sign up, "to make sure the National Close Contact Service can get in touch if they need to." Wonder what would trigger them to if no data was off-device

There's some unappreciative comments on Play store already. Now to see how many overseas raters appear in that list.

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freitasm

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#2486619 19-May-2020 20:19

@oblivian A notification push can be sent to the app with a location and if the app has that in its database a notification is shown. The data would not leave the phone.

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Tinshed

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#2486625 19-May-2020 20:25

If searching for the app on the iOS app store, rather than using a link provided here, then need to search on COVID, and not covid. So, case sensitive.

Tinshed
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#2486636 19-May-2020 20:48

Tinshed:
If searching for the app on the iOS app store, rather than using a link provided here, then need to search on COVID, and not covid. So, case sensitive.

Interesting, I saw a tweet mentioning it was available and searched for “covid” (lowercase) and it came up for me.

alan1

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#2486637 19-May-2020 20:49

I'm just waiting for more details before checking this out.

I don't want an app that turns on bluetooth, nor one that takes advantage of other's bluetooth. Bluetooth is nailed shut on my phone.

That's a security nightmare of epic proportions.

Google location doesn't worry me at all.

My library card has a barcode, a simple answer to most things.

I have other access cards for access to different buildings. They work fine.

If this app works the same way, then I would be happy.

Oblivian

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#2486638 19-May-2020 20:51

alan1:

I'm just waiting for more details before checking this out.

I don't want an app that turns on bluetooth, nor one that takes advantage of other's bluetooth. Bluetooth is nailed shut on my phone.

That's a security nightmare of epic proportions.

Google location doesn't worry me at all.

My library card has a barcode, a simple answer to most things.

I have other access cards for access to different buildings. They work fine.

If this app works the same way, then I would be happy.

None of the above.

It's a logger. That's it. No gps. No peer to peer. It's not designed to be (see transcript)

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#2486639 19-May-2020 20:52

App has no Bluetooth capability nor does it use your GPS to capture location. It simply uses QR codes for the user to scan and check-in.
MBIE will be releasing QR codes to businesses that include their NZBN on them.

alan1:

I'm just waiting for more details before checking this out.

I don't want an app that turns on bluetooth, nor one that takes advantage of other's bluetooth. Bluetooth is nailed shut on my phone.

That's a security nightmare of epic proportions.

Google location doesn't worry me at all.

My library card has a barcode, a simple answer to most things.

I have other access cards for access to different buildings. They work fine.

If this app works the same way, then I would be happy.

-- opinions expressed by me are solely my own. ie - personal

Oblivian

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#2486643 19-May-2020 20:58

The health link in the (android) app details at first appeared broken. Now has a go-live banner

https://tracing.covid19.govt.nz/?r=link Works though for a manual non-smart version (with the app links)

Jiriteach

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#2486645 19-May-2020 21:00

Batman:

I guess naturally with all the debates from similar apps overseas, people want to know if their privacy is safe when they sign up and use the app. My guess is no though I'm interested to hear views of the GZ community on this.

There is a nice stepped process which talks about privacy and security when you sign-up with clear information as to where your data will stored. MOH is using AWS in Sydney.

Also talks about work that MOH has done with the Privacy Commissioner and that a Privacy Impact Assessment has been undertaken and completed.

Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) results and report (33-pages) for the NZ COVID Tracer App is published here - https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-general-public/contact-tracing-covid-19/nz-covid-tracer-app/nz-covid-tracer-app-questions-and-answers

The PIA also includes a screenshots showing a high-level architecture of the app with detailed info on the workflows.

-- opinions expressed by me are solely my own. ie - personal

freitasm

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#2486647 19-May-2020 21:04

@alan1:

I'm just waiting for more details before checking this out.

I don't want an app that turns on bluetooth, nor one that takes advantage of other's bluetooth. Bluetooth is nailed shut on my phone.

That's a security nightmare of epic proportions.

Google location doesn't worry me at all.

It doesn't use Bluetooth. It doesn't use Google location.

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