Over half of US citizens are estimated to be willing to share their medical data and records due to COVID-19, and beyond, but fears of a surveillance state remain.
As the number of confirmed novel coronavirus edges close to 30 million worldwide, governments are seeking ways if not to eradicate infections, at least mitigate their impact on existing medical systems and reduce the pressure felt by hospitals to deal with the most severe cases.
One of the methods proposed is contact tracing, a concept based on individuals providing their details to places they visit — such as pubs or restaurants — as well as downloading mobile apps that automatically alert users if they have been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.
