Nobody wants a digital surveillance state. But we will not prevent further lockdowns with paper, pen and telephone. The Corona warning app must be expanded and made mandatory.
Germany is groaning under the lockdown. In the past few months, companies have spent a lot of money on hygiene measures. Spit protection walls, disinfectants and patio heaters were purchased. But it was of little use. The number of infections has skyrocketed so quickly that a lockdown has become inevitable. There are many accusations against politics – demos, human chains and sometimes even violent clashes.
The authorities are hopelessly overwhelmed with tracking the contacts of infected people. We need a "plan D" – D for digital tracking of contacts – if we don't want to call for a lockdown every other month. China and Taiwan show how it's done. We certainly do not want any dictatorial measures and total surveillance here. But capturing the vast amount of contacts and keeping them under control is only possible with technical support. We have to talk about a compulsory corona app!
With incidence values below 50, the authorities seem to be able to keep the events under control: make phone calls, write down contact persons, call them. Nevertheless, the possibilities of the authorities are limited and not up to date. Technical solutions are not used or only insufficiently. The Corona warning app should actually provide a solution. The app has already been downloaded to mobile phones by more than 20 million users. But why doesn't it help with the follow-up? People are not using the app enough. Too few enter the result of their corona test in the app. It will not work like that. The authorities will not be able to trace, question and quarantine many thousands of contacts with paper, pen and telephone.
If you have a mobile phone, you also have to install the app. Corona test results must be automatically and anonymously transmitted to the app by every laboratory. In addition, there must be a nationwide recording of visits to restaurants, bars, cinemas and fitness clubs. This can be done via mobile phone with QR codes or other technical solutions. The Corona warning app must be expanded and become a mandatory corona app. Nobody wants a digital surveillance state, but we will not prevent further lockdowns with paper, pen and telephone.
We have the technical means to implement appropriate solutions. In case of doubt, data protection rules must also be temporarily overridden. Anyone who wants to live freely with a deadly virus must accept bondage. But that needs the courage of politicians to address and implement it. It's time for Plan D.
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