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The Swiss Covid app is being used more again, but has to be set more sharply for the highly infectious Omicron virus. Clarifications are in progress at the Federal Office of Public Health.
The principle is known to be simple: Those who have tested positive for Corona enter the corresponding code in their Swiss-Covid app – and everyone who has also activated the app on their mobile phone and who has recently been around will be warned Were infected.
But, so the critical question, does this app bring anything at a time when the number of infections is soaring?
Not miracles, but still useful
Marcel Salathé, professor of digital epidemiology at the ETH Lausanne and a key co-developer of the app, replies that the app cannot work miracles: “You know that, in principle, you can’t do much once the wave is so high.” The advantage of the app is that it does not collapse, even if classic contact tracing breaks down.
The advantage of the app is that it does not collapse, even if classic contact tracing breaks down.
In fact, the Corona warning app has been used more and more for two weeks, as the figures from the Federal Statistical Office show. Accordingly, over 1000 Covid codes are now entered every day. After all, this is a significant increase compared to the figures from autumn or early December. However, it is clear that these values could be increased.
The authorities should do more advertising again, says Salathé. People haven’t heard from the app in a long time. Initial privacy concerns were found to be unfounded. But that also has to be communicated strongly on an ongoing basis.
The app must be adapted to Omikron
As we now know, the Omicron variant is much more contagious than other Corona variants. But the Swiss Covid app is still set so that you have to be at least 15 minutes at a distance of up to two meters from an infected person for the warning to be activated.
That made sense with the original variant of the virus, but no longer today, says Salathé: “With more contagious viruses, infections can take place in a shorter time and from a greater distance. The app can then no longer intercept this because it is not set up for it. “
With more contagious viruses, infections can take place in a shorter time and from a greater distance. The app can no longer intercept this.
Therefore, according to Salathé, it would be very important to continuously adjust the parameters of the app. This is the only way to really stay on the track of the virus. In fact, this aspect is also of concern to the Federal Office of Public Health. It should be clarified whether the values for distance and duration should be adjusted in the app, according to Radio SRF’s request.