Technology to combat the pandemic: the official Corona-Warning App works on the phone

On the Corona-Warning-App great hopes in the fight against the pandemic to rest. The App not only helps to prevent infection.

You can help people afterwards on high-risk encounters will be informed.

Users ask a lot of questions – even to the everyday use of the App and how you should offer on any of your devices use.

Where can you download the official App?

The Corona-Warning App, the Federal government has provided a website of their own, and also for the Links to Download the versions for iOS (iPhone) and Android. Per country, there is only one official Corona-Warning-App.

On which devices the App will run?

The App is based on a concept of Apple and Google. Therefore, the devices must be able to provide this program interfaces available.

The iPhone is the work of the current iOS 13.5. The for devices from the iPhone 6s. IPhone 6, 5S, 5 or an older model is not enough.

In the case of Android phones have Bluetooth LE must be supported. Also Android 6 or a newer Version needs to run, and it does not need to be enabled for Google Play Services, because the group provides the interfaces over Android, but this Google services.

Huawei devices does not have Google services. The App is running there anyway?

Huawei wants to bring the App with a replica of Google services on its latest Android Smartphones to Run. According to Huawei, the corresponding Huawei services (HMS Core) must be updated to Version 4.1.0.301.

Not the App to run on Google-free Android versions such as LineageOS or /e/.

How the App works?

The App relies on the wireless technology Bluetooth, the controls otherwise, wireless speakers, keyboards, or other devices.

They function depending on the Smartphone model at a distance of two and a half to five minutes, an anonymous identification number 16 Times in the surrounding area.

At the same time, the phone is listening, whether it can be Bluetooth signals from Other receive. Users who have both run the App on, side by side, exchange the Smartphones of their IDs.

The constant Funkerei is not sucking the battery empty?

The developers say that the App pulls a lot of electricity, and only a tiny fraction of the battery capacity is increasing.

More problematic than the Corona-Warning App could be the many other Apps that are installed on a typical Smartphone.

When other applications Wake up together with the Corona-Warning App from the idle state – for example, Social Media Clients, or E-Mail programs, then that can shorten the life of the smartphone.

This is also the main reason for this is that the App does not function constantly, but only every two and a half to five minutes.

How do I know that one has to be in the vicinity of an Infected stopped?

Who was tested positive for Covid-19, can enter this state even in the App. To prevent abuse, must be confirmed this Status, but not officially. This is done through a QR-Code that you receive from the testing laboratory.

Alternatively, you can also enter a TAN – a transaction number that you get from a telephone Hotline, because not all laboratories are able to generate QR Codes.

In the infection in case the affected App-contacts will then receive a note that you should test.

The App does not jeopardize the privacy of the user?

Privacy advocates praise in the meantime, the App, after it has hailed on first concepts, even fierce criticism. The App and related services are now going to replace the true identities of the users, but only anonymous IDs, which can change several times in the hour.

The contact details will not be stored centrally – how to start, but on a decentralised basis in the respective Smartphones.

Only the list of anonymized IDs of the Infected is kept on a Central Server, the comparison takes place solely on the individual Smartphones.

May order an employer to use the App for its employees?

Such a question should have been in the contract of employment are regulated, there is no mention of but mostly. In many cases, the employer will not be able to arrange, therefore, in spite of its duty of care to employees and customers.

Some lawyers believe, however, that this can be arranged with pure mobile phones and frequent contacts with colleagues and customers.

How many people need to use the App, so that a desired effect?

In Reports to the Corona-Warning App, it means that the full effect is only reached when 60 per cent of the population or more to participate.

This number comes from a scientific study from Oxford. The researchers say that the number of infections and deaths also decreases when the application rate is lower.

You can replace the App, the masks and the observance of clearance rules?

No. The App can only help to identify chains of Infection faster. Anyone who wants to protect themselves and others from infection, should also maintain the App in the phone enough distance and wear a mask

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)

*The contribution of “technology against the pandemic: the official Corona-Alert works App is on the phone” published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.