Almost 2 million Australians have downloaded a coronavirus tracing app within hours of its release, Health Minister Greg Hunt announced Monday, as the country moves to ease restrictions.
The big picture: A top health official stressed at a briefing Sunday that the app is "only for one purpose, to help contact tracing," as the government seeks to get at least 40% of the population to use the app for it to be effective. Australia has reported just over 6,700 cases and 83 deaths from COVID-19. In the U.S., most people told a Kaiser Family Foundation poll they'd share their coronavirus test results with public health officials, but fewer would download an app that tracks who they come in contact with.
1.89m people have now downloaded and registered for the #COVIDSafeApp as at 4pm today. This💪effort will help protect ourselves, our families, our nurses and our doctors. 🙏AUS as we work together to beat this virus. Visit an app store & download today.https://t.co/vn3Nof801T
— Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) April 27, 2020
