How the COVIDSafe app has only been used ONCE by governments to trace coronavirus despite 5.9 million Aussies dutifully downloading it - amid claims it DOESN'T WORK on an iPhone

  • The COVIDSafe app has been put into use for the first time after close to a month
  • A person in Victoria who contracted coronavirus allowed officials to access data
  • Officials are getting in touch with anyone who that person came in contact with
  • More than 5.9 million people have downloaded the app, spruiked by government
  •  The app has suffered 'technical issues' and problems integrating its data
  • Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was vital to Australia lifting any restrictions 
  • Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

By Josh Hanrahan For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

The COVIDSafe app has been put to use just once despite the massive push by the promotional campaign by the federal government and led by Scott Morrison.

A confirmed coronavirus patient identified in Victoria on Monday was found to have been among the almost six million people with the app on their phone.

The person then agreed for their data to be accessed and anyone they have been in close contact with - who also have downloaded the app - will now be contacted. 

The technology used for the app, touted by Morrison as Australia's 'ticket to freedom', continues to be plagued by 'technical issues', particularly when used on an iPhone. 

The controversial COVIDSafe app has been put to use just once, despite the massive promotional campaign led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured)

The controversial COVIDSafe app has been put to use just once, despite the massive promotional campaign led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured)

Australians were told that downloading the COVIDSafe app (pictured) was vital to restrictions being lifted
Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying that doing would get people 'back to the pub' (pictured)

Australians were told that downloading the COVIDSafe app (left) was vital to restrictions being lifted, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying that doing would get people 'back to the pub' (right)

Mr Morrison appealed for all Australians to download and keep the COVIDSafe app running in the background of their phone when the $1.5 million app was launched in late April. 

'Every Australian will be safer if those health officers [the contact tracers] are able to contact you more quickly if you have been exposed to the coronavirus and, importantly, that means that you will be less at risk of infecting others if they can get to you fast.' 

He later emphasised the importance of the app in the lifting of restrictions, saying if enough people downloaded the app it would lead to an 'early mark'.

But while the federal government has been trumpeting how crucial the app is there have been several issues, among them the lack of quality of the app with iphones.

Namely, bluetooth connectivity issues and the ability of the app to continue working in the background, mean iphones do not complete the digital handshake as well as androids.

This is problematic because more than 50 per cent of smartphone users are on iphone. 

State governments have also reportedly been struggling to use the app as designed.

New South Wales' health department has reportedly had issues integrating the data into its contact tracing methods.

The state's chief health officer admitted this week that they were still 'evaluating' the data.

'We've actually had quite low case numbers over the recent week which I'm very pleased (about),' Dr Kerry Chant said.

The federal government has trumpeted just how crucial the app is and 5.9 million people have listened, but some health departments have reportedly been struggling to put it into use - with concerns over what that means for the further lifting of restrictions like gatherings (pictured)

The federal government has trumpeted just how crucial the app is and 5.9 million people have listened, but some health departments have reportedly been struggling to put it into use - with concerns over what that means for the further lifting of restrictions like gatherings (pictured)

Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services said they were hopeful the app would continue to be used rarely

Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services said they were hopeful the app would continue to be used rarely

'Obviously, with our cases that are in hotel quarantine, they don't actually have any contacts and that's one of the benefits of them.

'We are evaluating the use of the CovidSafe app, we will be using it in every new case identified where there are potential contacts.'

After putting the app to use for the first time, the Department of Health and Human Services in Victoria said they hoped it would continue to be redundant.

'Access is strictly limited to trained public health officers carrying out contact tracing functions,' a spokesperson told The ABC. 

'Victoria has legislated privacy obligations when handling citizens' private data or health data and these obligations will be adhered to.

'With only a small number of cases in Victoria, there have been few opportunities to use the app so far. 

'We hope this continues.' 

AUSTRALIA'S COVIDSAFE APP - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The COVID-19 contact tracing app is called COVIDSafe.

It only works on smartphones and can be downloaded from the Apple or Google app stores.

Use of the app is voluntary.

PURPOSE

* To identify people who may have come into contact with someone who has COVID-19 so that they can be advised to take measures to help stop the spread of the disease or get tested.

REGISTRATION

Registration will require users to input their:

* mobile phone number - so they can be contacted if needed for contact tracing.

* name - so the relevant health officials can confirm they are speaking to the right person, although the Health Minister says you can use a fake name if you want.

* age range - so health officials can prioritise cases for contact tracing.

* postcode - to make sure health officials from the right state and territory are dealing with your case.

COVIDSAFE IN USE

The app will record the following contact data:

* the encrypted user ID.

* date and time of the contact.

* the Bluetooth signal strength of other COVIDSafe users you come into contact with. This will be logged every two hours in the National COVIDSafe data store.

* No location data will be collected at any time.

* Contact data stored on a device will be deleted after 21 days.

* All data stored will be deleted once the pandemic has concluded.

PRIVACY

* Personal information collected via COVIDSafe will handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 and the Biosecurity Determination 2020.

* There will be criminal penalties and anyone breaches someone's privacy.

Source: Australian Government Department of Health 

Scott MorrisonCovid-19

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