Upon its release, the Canadian government declared that the COVID Alert app would be a game changer in the fight against COVID-19.
However, recently released statistics conclude that widespread incorrect use of the app has meant that it has had little effect, Global News reported.
The public health report highlights the fact that only 3.8 percent of 535,000 Canadians testing positive for the virus used the app to let others know they might have been exposed. In other words, 96.2 percent of those who tested positive failed to use the app or could not use it properly.
COVID Alert app was launched in July but was not immediately activated by all provinces and territories.
“When we’re only seeing a small percentage, in this case under 10 percent, under five percent, of the population using these apps, they’re essentially completely useless,” said infectious disease specialist Dr. Craig Jenne in an interview with Global News.
When the app launched, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged its adoption, saying that it would increase public safety.
As cases continued to soar, he urged everyone who could download the app to do so during a November 27 press conference.
“Young people need to download the COVID Alert app. It’s a way of helping your parents, your grandparents," he said. “It’s free, it protects your privacy, and it helps concretely in combating this virus.”