Australia to ease restrictions with coronavirus app, return to work to kickstart the economy

By Angela Betsaida B. Laguipo, BSNMay 6 2020

Among the countries that have successfully “flattened the curve” and managed to contain the coronavirus, is Australia. The country has managed to keep the viral transmission at bay and has now lifted some restrictions to let its residents return to more normal lives. Along with easing restrictions, the Australian Government launched the COVIDsafe app to help speed up contacting people infected with the virus.

COVIDSafe app - https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/covidsafe-app

Contact tracing app

Since the launch of the new coronavirus app, it has been downloaded more than five million times. COVIDsafe works by tracing every person who has the app and has been in contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus over the past weeks. The app will make it easier for the Government to contact trace and alert those who have been in close quarters to infected people and ultimately help prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The new app asks users to register, and that information is then forwarded to health authorities if a person happens to come within close proximity to someone that is later diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further, using Bluetooth technology, the app records anyone you get close to who has the app. The two apps in each person’s mobile phones exchanged IDs, which cycle every two hours. If someone gets infected with the coronavirus, the ID will be uploaded, and the Government can trace who they came in close contact with over the past 14 days.

“The COVIDSafe app is part of our work to slow the spread of COVID-19. Having confidence we can find and contain outbreaks quickly will mean governments can ease restrictions while still keeping Australians safe,” the Australian Government said.

Privacy protections

Though the app is promising, there had been issues regarding privacy protection. The Government has now released its proposed laws to bolster privacy protections for the COVIDsafe app. It also emphasizes that the app is voluntary, and in the proposed laws, business owners who ban people from entry unless they have downloaded the contact tracing app will face five years in jail, with a fine of $63,000.

The new law will make it illegal for anyone to refuse an individual without the app entry to public places, or ban them from attending activities. Business owners who will not sell goods or services to them will be fined.

“The new COVIDSafe app is completely voluntary. Downloading the app is something you can do to protect you, your family, and friends and save the lives of other Australians. The more Australians connect to the COVIDSafe app, the quicker we can find the virus,” the Government added.

Only health authorities can access the data to be used for contact tracing only. It will be a criminal liability to use any app data in any other way. Also, the app cannot be used to enforce quarantine or isolation restrictions.

The Government assures the public that after the pandemic, the users will be prompted to delete it from their phone, deleting all app information. Further, the data contained in the storage system will be destroyed.

Kickstarting the economy

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Australia has shown efficiency in containing the spread of the virus. The Australian death toll stands at 96, with the number of confirmed cases topping 6,800.

With the effective containment of the virus, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government would start to ease restrictions on May 8. The Government’s focus is now geared toward helping the residents get back to work to kickstart the economy.

Nearly one million jobs have disappeared from the country since the advent of strict social distancing measures to halt the spread of the virus. With the economy severely affected, the Government plans to let the residents go back to work, but still imposing health measures to avoid a second wave of the outbreak.

With the “new normal” in place as the restrictions are lifted, Australians will be urged to get back to work as the current restrictions delivered a $4 billion hit to the economy each week.

Also, unemployment rates have increased since the pandemic started. It is vital to get people back to work as soon as possible to prevent the long-term economic and social effects of a high unemployment rate.