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Comment by adamweld | Hacker News Reader

1) and 2) - the fact that Google and Apple have what is essentially a monopoly on smartphone software is exactly what makes this a good approach. it's the easiest way to reach a high percentage of the population.

3) false positive are a hell of a lot better than having no way to trace back contacts while someone was asymptomatic but contagious.

4) it helps stop others from becoming infected and possibly dying. how is that not a good thing?

> We should be 3D printing ventilators, analysing DNA sequences, build nanorobots and synthesis new molecules.

3D printing ventilators is a horrible idea, and everything else towards a vaccine takes _time_. This is something that can be rolled out today and that will help the situation. You can uninstall the app when this is over.

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As both are untrustworthy American corporations no matter what they do or say it will always be a huge privacy issue. I would go back to my old SE810i phone the instant this was forced on iOS and Android users. People are already doing this (especially young people) so this will be apple and google shooting themselves in the foot.

I mean, yes, they are evil untrustworthy American corporations, but _they_ already know where you are and who you've met.

> 4) it helps stop others from becoming infected and possibly dying. how is that not a good thing?

The virus will always be here, we cannot hide forever, we must find a way to cure it or reduce its biological effect. Once covid19 goes away (if ever), and a new virus appears, NO ONE will have that app turned on, and by then, the new virus will have spread just like covid19.

I have a very simple solution to win time : total confinement of people of more than 60 years old when a new virus is detected, and wash hands.

Also check hemo2life, which is an example of what we could do in terms of medicine

> Once covid19 goes away (if ever), and a new virus appears, NO ONE will have that app turned on, and by then, the new virus will have spread just like covid19.

Devil's advocate: so why not just keep the app running forever in the background?

If there's no virus to report - that's fine.

But the moment a new outbreak starts, the data is already there, you just have to report that you're sick.

Absolutely, and if it is indeed local only and encrypted until you say you are infected, it could be part of HealthKit and Android equivalent (don't know if it has a name)

Why not implement all your solution and contact tracing, won't help you to know that the person you sit near in a bus/plane just died by an infection diseases? Maybe you are doomed but you might just save your family. The next virus might affect children not only elders, we need to have every possible tool at our disposal including PPR, test equipment.

Maybe contact tracing is late (or maybe not) but is good to have a good system ready when the next one might appear.

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