WA Notify

[leastprime]

i signed up but haven't looked at the App. No idea what it looks it.
JMO: YMMV: Apple, google, amazon, microsoft, NSA, FBI, IBM, FB, Tmobile, are probably monitoring me. What is one more?

[PS90]

Originally Posted by leastprime

i signed up but haven't looked at the App. No idea what it looks it.
JMO: YMMV: Apple, google, amazon, microsoft, NSA, FBI, IBM, FB, Tmobile, are probably monitoring me. What is one more?

I understand, but my concern is less about government oversight and more about this being touted as yet another thing that we are supposed to use to "combat" Covid, but without any real usefulness, as far as I can tell.

[leastprime]

It could tell those who care, that a herd immunity condition has been reached . That herd immunity is a futile effort. Super spreaders. Event incidence. CoVid as we know it has only been noticed Dec 31 2019 and in earnest since February-March. Data is accumulating.

I can't find the App even though I said, yes.

[fishbrains]

Originally Posted by PS90

Okay, so I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you did your research before signing up, rather than just blindly following whatever King Inslee tells us to do.

So then, if you did your research and are willing to share, what are you planning to do with the data that this phone service gives you?

Thanks for any input. I am seriously wondering how this thing is supposed to help us as individuals deal with this crisis.

Yes, I did look into it, and I understand the theoretical capabilities.

There are potentially two benefits to this, one is a public health benefit that will likely not benefit me personally, the other is a potential personal benefit. Both benefits are contingent upon enough people signing up for this app. If very few people sign up, it will be of no benefit to anybody, but it also will not have cost me anything either.

The public health benefit is one where epidemiologists can gain more data and understanding about viral transmission. Currently approximately 30% of cases (varies by county) are classified as "community transmission". This is simply a fancy way of saying they do not know exactly how the virus was transmitted because there is no known cause. I can think of a number of ways where having additional data resulting from what is essentially a crowdsourcing effort can provide information on transmission that we currently do not have. Maybe we find out that it is transmitted by surfaces, maybe we find out that it is not. Maybe we find out that the contact time is very small and going to the grocery store is super risky, maybe we find out that the necessary contact time is long and going to the grocery store is very safe. Extend this to all types of businesses, and knowing which activities are safe, and which are high risk, allows public health officials to more specifically target restrictions, which also means opening up more business activities once we find out that they are low risk.

I think that most people would agree that if we can develop this data and open our economy, it would be a good thing.

The personal benefit has a minor benefit for me, and a greater benefit to my family, friends and colleagues. Early notification of potential exposure allows me to monitor my personal symptoms and get tested for verification. Because I am in an elevated risk group, it may also allow me to seek treatment a day or two earlier should I start to exhibit problematic symptoms. Aside from that, if I know that I am potentially infectious, I can limit my contact with the few people I still see, keeping them healthy.

So, to more directly answer your question, the benefit to me as an individual is less than the benefit to society as a whole and those around me. That is sufficient reason for me, because I am not selfish. But if it is not good enough for you, I understand.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by leastprime

It could tell those who care, that a herd immunity condition has been reached . That herd immunity is a futile effort. Super spreaders. Event incidence. CoVid as we know it has only been noticed Dec 31 2019 and in earnest since February-March. Data is accumulating.

I can't find the App even though I said, yes.

Look for WA Notification at the Google Play Store.

Someone has to:

1. Install the app.

2. Input in the app if testing positive.

You'll be notified, if you crossed paths, how close, and for how long.

Action? Get tested and quarantine until you get a negative result.

[PS90]

Originally Posted by fishbrains

Yes, I did look into it, and I understand the theoretical capabilities.

There are potentially two benefits to this, one is a public health benefit that will likely not benefit me personally, the other is a potential personal benefit. Both benefits are contingent upon enough people signing up for this app. If very few people sign up, it will be of no benefit to anybody, but it also will not have cost me anything either.

The public health benefit is one where epidemiologists can gain more data and understanding about viral transmission. Currently approximately 30% of cases (varies by county) are classified as "community transmission". This is simply a fancy way of saying they do not know exactly how the virus was transmitted because there is no known cause. I can think of a number of ways where having additional data resulting from what is essentially a crowdsourcing effort can provide information on transmission that we currently do not have. Maybe we find out that it is transmitted by surfaces, maybe we find out that it is not. Maybe we find out that the contact time is very small and going to the grocery store is super risky, maybe we find out that the necessary contact time is long and going to the grocery store is very safe. Extend this to all types of businesses, and knowing which activities are safe, and which are high risk, allows public health officials to more specifically target restrictions, which also means opening up more business activities once we find out that they are low risk.

I think that most people would agree that if we can develop this data and open our economy, it would be a good thing.

The personal benefit has a minor benefit for me, and a greater benefit to my family, friends and colleagues. Early notification of potential exposure allows me to monitor my personal symptoms and get tested for verification. Because I am in an elevated risk group, it may also allow me to seek treatment a day or two earlier should I start to exhibit problematic symptoms. Aside from that, if I know that I am potentially infectious, I can limit my contact with the few people I still see, keeping them healthy.

So, to more directly answer your question, the benefit to me as an individual is less than the benefit to society as a whole and those around me. That is sufficient reason for me, because I am not selfish. But if it is not good enough for you, I understand.

Thanks for the insightful reply. I appreciate it.

I personally didn't see anything in the marketing for this thing that mentioned anything about it's use for epidemiological purposes, it seemed to just be marketed toward the end-consumer. But that doesn't mean that it's not being used for those purposes, or could be at any time. I can absolutely see it's use for that purpose.

[PS90]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Look for WA Notification at the Google Play Store.

Someone has to:

1. Install the app.

2. Input in the app if testing positive.

You'll be notified, if you crossed paths, how close, and for how long.

Action? Get tested and quarantine until you get a negative result.

Well, obviously that's the "action" that would be assumed, but as I said earlier in this thread, IMO the people who would use this app for that purpose are the ones that are quarantining as much as possible anyway. And others, like me, who would ignore a random notification that you may have been near someone positive at Wal-Mart for a few minutes, probably wouldn't download the app anyway.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by PS90

Well, obviously that's the "action" that would be assumed, but as I said earlier in this thread, IMO the people who would use this app for that purpose are the ones that are quarantining as much as possible anyway. And others, like me, who would ignore a random notification that you may have been near someone positive at Wal-Mart for a few minutes, probably wouldn't download the app anyway.

Well, if it was someone I just walked by, it might not be much of a worry, especially if wearing a mask. If sitting at a nearby table at a restaurant, eating and drinking, with masks off, for half an hour, it could be cause to get tested and quarantine until getting a negative result, hopefully in less than 24 hours.

The real point of this, it seems to me, is to notify others you might have had infectious contact with that you'd tested positive.

Here's a similar app that's been in use since last summer:

https://cliqz.com/en/magazine/corona...ng-and-tracing

https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-coron...ost/a-55363937

[pnwguy2]

I think it is unlikely we are going to “out-tech” covid. I am not signing up for this. Best solution continues to be to keep a distance from strangers, wear a mask, wash your hands, and do not socially gather. It won’t be forever, but it is what everyone needs to do now. Sounds simplistic but it is the best strategy.