The Corona warning app is intended to interrupt chains of infection.
But why doesn't she issue a warning even though there has been contact with a person infected with the coronavirus?
Dortmund -
Autumn
is here and we are now right in the middle of it: in the second
wave of coronavirus
.
It was long prophesied by experts and politicians, now it is there, as reported by RUHR24.de *.
Many people could also notice this when their
Corona warning app
suddenly - after being silent for months -
sounding an alarm
.
But many users do not know exactly what that means.
App: | Corona warning app |
License: | Apache license |
Developed by: | SAP, Deutsche Telekom |
Corona warning app: contact with an infected person and still green
Because the
Corona warning app
spits out more than just
green
or
red
,
low
or high risk
.
So what does it mean if the
app
shines in a calming green, but contact with a
person
infected
with the coronavirus *
is displayed?
Seeing the
color
green
in the
Corona warning app
is definitely a good sign.
Even if it is indicated at the same time that you have had contact with an
infected
person.
Because the
risk of infection
remains low if the
distance
to the person was large enough and the time of contact was short enough.
Corona warning app remembers the intensity of corona contact
Smartphones
on which the Corona warning app * is installed scan their surroundings every five minutes and search for other
smartphones
that
have installed
the
app
.
If two devices find each other via
Bluetooth
, they exchange an individual key.
If a person
claims to be infected
with the
coronavirus
, all
smartphones
that have exchanged the key in the past 14 days will receive a notification.
This not only shows that there was contact with an
infected
person, but also the intensity of this contact (all information on the coronavirus in NRW at RUHR24.de *).
Corona warning app: A risk encounter becomes an encounter with low risk
If the encounter lasted less than ten minutes and the
smartphones of
the people were more than eight meters apart, the
risk is
assessed as harmless
according to
Zeit
.
Nevertheless, these encounters appear in the
Corona warning app
, but are
outlined in green
.
In addition, they are no longer called "
high-risk encounters
", but rather "
low-risk encounters
".
In
this case
, the
app
also displays the
following notice: “There
is a particularly
low
risk
if your encounter was limited to a short period of time or a longer distance.
You don't have to worry and there is no special need for action. ”This means that if a person stands behind an
infected
person at the supermarket checkout for
a short time
, the
app
does not sound an alarm, unless the contact has been longer than 10 minutes or the people were closer than 8 meters.
Risk encounters in the Corona warning app are becoming fewer
At times it happens that the Corona warning app shows three
contacts
on one day and only two on the next day
.
This is not a
bug in
the
app
, it is by design.
Because the
risk
encounters are deleted from the status display if the encounter was more than 14 days ago, reports the
time
with reference to the
Robert Koch Institute (RKI)
.
Positive interim conclusion of the #RKI on the #CoronaWarnApp: "The app works: More than 500 people who have proven positive for SARS-CoV-2 have so far had the opportunity to warn others," said Prof. Wieler, President of the RKI.
More on this: https://t.co/9FPxzLz1zw pic.twitter.com/fVe892rBwW
- Robert Koch Institute (@rki_de) July 16, 2020
Corona warning app gives an alarm and turns red: that must be done
The number of cases is currently increasing and more and more cities in the Ruhr area are being declared so-called risk areas and new corona rules * are being issued.
So it will probably happen more often in the next few days that users of the
Corona warning app will
receive a message that they have had contact with an
infected
person and that there is therefore an increased
risk
.
It turns over and
blushes
.
The
red warning
is displayed until day 15 has passed after the last
risk
encounter.
In this case, users are advised to go home, if possible, to reduce encounters and
to coordinate
the next steps with their
family doctor
, the
medical
on-call
service
at 116117 or the
health department
.
+
If the Corona warning app turns over and indicates an increased risk, action is required.
© Christoph Dernbach / dpa
Corona warning app works even if not everyone has it installed
According to the
RKI
, the
Corona warning app has
been downloaded around 18.4 million times so
far
(as of September 22).
That is still a long way from the general population of Germany, and voices are repeatedly voiced claiming that the
app
only makes sense if at least 60 percent of the population has installed and used it - 18 million users are also far away from that.
This claim comes from a
study
, but as the
time
reports, the researchers and authors see this as a misinterpretation of their
study
.
Of course, the
app works
more reliably if more people download it and also indicate if they
have been infected
with the
coronavirus
.
Video: Angela Merkel urges you to be mindful
In spite of the Corona warning app, do not be lulled into false security
But the
corona warning app
can already
interrupt chains of
infection
.
It can reveal encounters that would otherwise have remained hidden.
Together with other measures such as the
mask requirement
, the
corona warning app
can help
curb
the
infection rate
in Germany.
However, users should by no means feel safe if their
app
remains
permanently
green
and does not make any sound.
Because there are a large number of citizens who
have not installed
the
warning app
.
If you meet them, then no
app
will help
.
* RUHR24.de is part of the Ippen digital network.