New York and New Jersey Launch Contact Tracing Apps With Exposure Notification API

[paulcons]

Here we have an example of technology done right, nobody gets compromised. Yes, it (the app, not the api) very much did take a bit long to get done and out the door. However, with all the anti-vaxxer & anti-mask stoopids out there, much less effective than it might have been, as they will all disdain using it. Add in that I'd bet well under 50% will get the vaccine when it gets here next year. Bottom line is every individual needs to employ all means to protect themselves. Restrict social interactions, wear masks, period. Oh, and do NOT visit Florida at all (pains me to say that, I have a number of friends living down there)!

 

[djstile]

I wonder if Phil Murphy can use this same software development company / developers to figure out the (seemingly) monumental task of how to allow for the unemployment system to change the $600 to a $300 and send out the money from Trump's Executive Order.

 

[iamasmith]

Whaaaat? I thought this was available all over the USA fo ages.... been moaning for ages that the UK should do it rather than their own thin and we finally have.

 

[jrlcopy]

I grabbed it yesterday, super simple setup.

Once you give it iOS permissions, it's a set it and forget approach. But anytime you open the app up the first page displays all the numbers and facts for the NY area.

Only 'curious' thing, which is I live in an APT building, so I already have a couple ID's of phones I've been near, but guessing since I haven't left my APT in the last 24 hours, that they are people above/below/next to my apt possibly?

 

[harriska2]

But I’ve heard from Extremely Reliable sources that it’ll all go away by April (2020), so opening up now shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Hmm, I heard May. So all should be fine. I think I’ll go to the movies, a restaurant, and get my hair cut. /s

 

[triscuitbiscuit]

Unfortunately the people who are responsible about this virus and the least likely to spread this will be the ones who download it. The people who deny science and flaunt public health measures and the ones most likely to spread it will not download it.

 

[bb9]

New York and New Jersey have launched COVID-19 contact tracing apps based on Apple and Google's Exposure Notification technology.

In a press release on the New York State website, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced the release of COVID Alert NY and COVID Alert NJ for iPhone and Android users.

Like other apps that take advantage of the Exposure Notification API from Apple and Google, the two apps are designed to track who people come into contact with each other using Bluetooth, providing a notification if one of those people later comes down with the coronavirus.

As well as launching their own state contact tracing apps, the New York and New Jersey governors said they would join Pennsylvania and Delaware in creating a regional network that will enable the apps to work across state lines.

In the United States, Virginia, North Dakota, Arizona, Delaware, Nevada, Alabama, Wyoming, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania have launched apps that use Apple's ‌Exposure Notification‌ API. Connecticut is also expected to launch an app in the next few weeks.

More information on Apple and Google's ‌Exposure Notification‌ API, such as how it works and where it's available, can be found in our guide.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: New York and New Jersey Launch Contact Tracing Apps With Exposure Notification API

Should have enabled it a long time ago.

 

[and 1989 others]

No offence but why do people insist on making these fatuous comparisons every time this topic comes up, you get heart disease from your own actions, you can't catch heart disease through no fault of your own just because you happen to stand next to someone in a queue who has it. (Obviously, there are more complicated points about socio-economic situations but the point is you can't just catch heart disease simply by being near someone who has it)

Totally different scenarios

Most people who die with COVID have underlying health issues, heart disease, ling disease being primary candidates.

Improving your diet and exercise, reduces your risk of developing the diseases and reduces your risk of dying as a result of COVID messing up your body and exacerbating your diseases. It will be with us forever, so it is sound advice.

Obese people also have worse symptoms.

 

[macduke]

My state will probably never have this. Our governor and his wife have COVID-19 right now and are pushing forward with their in-person autumn festival plans before the quarantine window is up. Bunch of morons.

 

[CarlJ]

My state will probably never have this. Our governor and his wife have COVID-19 right now and are pushing forward with their in-person autumn festival plans before the quarantine window is up. Bunch of morons.

Bunch of people trying really hard for Darwin Awards these days.

 

[I7guy]

Here we have an example of technology done right, nobody gets compromised. Yes, it (the app, not the api) very much did take a bit long to get done and out the door. However, with all the anti-vaxxer & anti-mask stoopids out there, much less effective than it might have been, as they will all disdain using it. Add in that I'd bet well under 50% will get the vaccine when it gets here next year. Bottom line is every individual needs to employ all means to protect themselves. Restrict social interactions, wear masks, period. Oh, and do NOT visit Florida at all (pains me to say that, I have a number of friends living down there)!

The app is very slickly done. And yes, I agree tech done right.

 

[ajguckian]

For a community so focused on privacy, you all are really quick to give that up with this. If mask wearing is what is going to "fix" this, why are you worried about chance encounters with someone who caught it, at some point. Should we expect this to be converted to account for the flu as well?

 

[C DM]

For a community so focused on privacy, you all are really quick to give that up with this. If mask wearing is what is going to "fix" this, why are you worried about chance encounters with someone who caught it, at some point. Should we expect this to be converted to account for the flu as well?

There isn't really some single "fix" that is just 100% effective. It's a combination of a variety of efforts.

As far as privacy goes, looking into and understanding the actual implementation details would likely be of help.

 

[CarlJ]

For a community so focused on privacy, you all are really quick to give that up with this. If mask wearing is what is going to "fix" this, why are you worried about chance encounters with someone who caught it, at some point. Should we expect this to be converted to account for the flu as well?

Go read the spec for the Exposure Notification API (we’ll wait) and then come back and explain precisely what privacy is being given up, based on what’s actually in the spec, not on what you imagine must be in the spec. I pay pretty close attention to privacy. I’ve read the spec. I’m not concerned, because they’ve thought this through really well. But, go ahead, tell us what’s wrong with the design...

Wearing a mask is one part of what is going to fix this. Along with social distancing. And hand washing. And self-quarantining when one feels sick or is informed they’ve been exposed (instead of, you know, going to a fundraiser or something). And contact tracing when someone is exposed. And participating willingly and thoroughly when the contact tracers contact you. And using exposure notification apps like this. And hospitals that are fully staffed and equipped with the supplies they need. And an eventual vaccine. And a bunch of other details. A mask does not make you magically safe (indeed, the mask does more to protect others from you, if you’ve got COVID and don’t know it yet - not wearing one is saying, “I do NOT give a flying F about anyone else but myself - I will gladly accept other people dying, in order to avoid a tiny amount of inconvenience to me”). None of these steps themselves is perfect. They’re all steps in the right direction. It takes many steps to get where we’re going. It’s not a simple ”push this button to fix pandemic” situation. Although we could have gotten damn close, if we could have gotten everyone to participate, and shut things down for a several weeks, early on. But no, too many people listening to propaganda instead of actual reports from actual scientists, who think the pandemic is fake, or overblown, or not important because it doesn’t personally affect them (yet). This is why we can’t have nice things.

 

[paulcons]

Only 'curious' thing, which is I live in an APT building, so I already have a couple ID's of phones I've been near, but guessing since I haven't left my APT in the last 24 hours, that they are people above/below/next to my apt possibly?

And you know this how? I was curious about seeing how many "contacts" were made... I think I read that tokens are only logged if there is contect for more than 10 minutes.