Thread by @joshmich

Contact tracing apps have evolved to become "exposure notification apps"; Apple and Google are streamlining the process of participation, allowing push notifications for users to opt-in automatically (Apple) or direct users to state-supported notification apps (Google).

The hope is that there will be much greater adoption of these apps because now opt-in will be embedded directly in device operating systems.

Adoption is state-by-state, and about 20 states have, or will soon be, deploying this approach.

Up until now, uptake of state contact tracing apps has been quite low. For example, "less than 5% of the population in North Dakota downloaded the state’s app as of June, while only about 1.8% of Utahns had done so by July."
slate.com/technology/202…

The greater the adoption, the more likely apps could help. @ChristoPhraser: "a well-staffed manual contact tracing workforce combined with 15 percent uptake [in a contact tracing app] could reduce infections by 15 percent and deaths by 11 percent]
vox.com/recode/2020/9/…

The latest versions have pore privacy protections than before, but there is continued public wariness about adoption due to privacy concerns. So, there is going to be a communications challenge convincing people these are safe, effective, and worthwhile to participate in.

That should say "more" not pore

CO is one state which is set to debut an exposure notification app in the next few weeks. An important challenge is ensuring that people know what that app does, and what it does not do.
coloradonewsline.com/2020/09/12/wil…