Govt to trial CovidCard 'dumb' technology for covid tracing

Govt to trial CovidCard 'dumb' technology for covid tracing
Pattrick Smellie
CovidCard prototypeThe government will test privately-developed technology that could replace smartphone apps as the most effective way of tracking people's movements for contact tracing after a covid-19 or other epidemic outbreak.The decision today from ministers Chris Hipkins and Kris Faafoi follows weeks of increasingly public lobbying by the card's backers.The CovidCard idea embeds a bluetooth device and battery along with a memory chip in a small, wearable format similar to a swipecard or bracelet, which would automatically re...

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