Property News

Install the new app and help to beat Covid!

Implementation of a new app called Covid Radar developed by the Spanish government began on August 25^th. Its main function is to track the movements of people who have contracted the Covid-19 virus and see who they have been in contact with and might possibly have infected. The latter can then be contacted, come in for testing and if necessary, enter a period of self-isolation to ensure no others are infected.

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How it works

It is a highly effective way of following the spread of the virus and curbing it before it gets out of hand, thus limiting the number of people who are infected and protect many others from becoming so as well. In essence, Covid Radar enables the medical services to react more quickly in isolating the possible spread of the virus through people who at the time did not know they had it. Once confirmed as a ‘carrier’, they will receive a code from their healthcare practitioners, and all mobile devices that were within a two-metre distance over the past fortnight will receive an anonymous message that they should also contact the health authorities (Salud Responde) for testing.

Any who do indeed test positive will also receive a code, and the people they have been in contact with will also get a request to come in for testing. Not only does the system help to curb the spread of the virus by having those who came into contact with it tested, but it also creates a so-called ‘heat map’ of areas with the highest frequency of Covid infections. Such areas will then receive special attention and may even be placed under localised restrictions in order to quarantine the problem and avoid its spread to neighbouring regions. This information will also make it possible to advise people against visiting certain areas due to the high possibility of infection.

It only works if we all do it!

Many believe tracking systems such as Covid Radar will infringe upon their rights and their privacy, but it works only after a person has tested positive and its aim is to inform those who have been in contact with the infected person, not to interfere in their personal affairs. The government says it is no more intrusive than the cookies used on websites/search engines and the tracking data already contained within our mobile phones. Moreover, it is anonymous and the infected person’s name is never mentioned when people he/she has been in contact with are requested to come in for a test—and nowhere does the identity, phone number or contact details of anyone appear.

If we act together and all download the app now it will help to beat this virus so much quicker and more effectively, saving many thousands of lives and ending the economic, social and psychological damage it is causing to our society – so act decisively together and download the Covid Radar app now.

We’ll only beat Covid-19 if we all work together!