
Utah rejects Apple-Google approach, endorses alternative contact-tracing app - npunt
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/13/utah-contact-tracing-healthy-together-app.html
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npunt
A few key points:

* Built by Twenty for $2.75m + $300k/mo to operate

* Doesn't use Apple-Google API

* Uses GPS + Bluetooth, sends location history to centralized server

* 45k people signed up since 4/22 (21 days ago), 2% of Utah population

* Some estimates say ~60% required for contact tracing to be useful, Utah DoH says lower for usefulness

* Stated rationale for app is to send data to public health officials unlike Apple-Google decentralized API. Utah has 1200 phone-based contact tracers which apparently will in the future use data to coordinate effort.

After downloading the iOS app:

* Says it will delete data after 30 days

* Requests Bluetooth, GPS set to 'Always', Contacts (to invite people), Notifications

* Has daily symptom checker that tell you whether you need a test

* Offers map of test centers

Seems like a well designed app.

I assume like other approaches from European countries etc, this will be
subject to background app limitations, requiring user to have app in
foreground to get benefits.

My take is there's a risk for 'perfect is the enemy of the good', and
something built without privacy protections may cause fewer people to download
it, thus making contact tracing unviable. Depends a lot on whether Utah can
convince its citizens to use it.

[https://coronavirus.utah.gov/healthy-together-
app/](https://coronavirus.utah.gov/healthy-together-app/)

