The COVID-Safe app was released by the Federal Government back in April 2020, with Prime Minister, Scott Morrison encouraging everyone to download the app, saying it was "Australia's ticket to a COVIDSafe Australia".
The technology relies on users voluntarily downloading the app and using Bluetooth to detect other COVIDSafe users around them. The data is then kept for 21 days for contact tracing.
However, fears about cost, efficacy, security and privacy soon emerged.
Since its launch, COVIDSafe has been plagued by technical problems and blasted as “dishonest” and ineffective The app has only traced 17 cases since April, with at least $7 million spent on advertising, and with a total cost of $16 million.
Zero cases have been detected through COVIDSafe during the recent Northern Beaches outbreak in Sydney and zero cases were detected throughout the entire second wave in Victoria.
The Government has just released an update of the app.
Part of an ongoing series, COVID-19 diaries.
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