How Do COVID-Tracing Programs Work? What are they?

Contact-tracing apps were made during the ongoing pandemic to help keep track of individuals who may have been in contact with others who could be infected with the coronavirus. When properly integrated into the public-health system of the designated area of the individual as well as the necessary political backing from the nation, contact-tracing apps have been found to be useful in preventing people from developing infections.

Approval rates for these particular apps in China have far exceeded that in Western countries. China was the first nation to implement contact-tracing apps as a means for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Commonly known as the “health-code app”, Alibaba and Tencent developed the scanning app that individuals could access from WeChat or Alipay. This app is commonly checked before an individual boards any form of public transportation as well as private taxis, and before being let into any public venue or area where there will be multiple people, even some apartment complexes.

The app automatically tracks the travel history and medical data of the individual after they register using their full name, phone number, and ID number. Based on each of these aspects, the app decides whether to display green, yellow, or red QR code on the front of the app, which is seen when first opened.

Contact-tracing apps have become so popular in China because of the convenience that comes alongside having everyone connected through one app, which provides a simple and direct method of knowing whether someone is not at risk of being infected or infecting others. As the app has become mandatory procedure for people to display before entering essentially any space or area within China, the amount of people that use it has rapidly increased.

A green code indicates that the individual is allowed access to all public spaces, yellow indicates that the individual may have come in contact recently with an individual who had contracted the virus, and therefore must quarantine. Red codes are used for individuals who have been contracted the virus.