The federal government’s plans to 'strongly' recommend Canadians download a to-be-determined COVID-19 contact tracing app may not happen as initially billed, Health Minister Patty Hajdu said on Monday, indicating there's been pushback to the idea.
plans to “strongly” recommend
At the time he said the government was working with a “number of different partners” on potential apps, and that in the coming weeks Ottawa intends to “recommend strongly to Canadians a particular app that will help us manage the spread of COVID-19.”However, Hajdu told reporters on Monday that “some jurisdictions prefer” the contact tracing already being done “the old-fashioned way.”
“As the minister of health of course, having a digital contact tracing app would likely be helpful,” she said. “One of the things that I think from a health perspective we're keeping our eye on is the usefulness of an app if there is not a high take-up.” Hajdu noted that some regions have already begun using their own digital tracking methods and indicated there may be a desire to see the use of these tools continue, which could result in a patchwork of applications being used across the country that would have limited efficacy when it comes to cross-border spread.
“The current crisis I would say clearly shows that there will be a need to accelerate the technological revolution that was already at play before COVID, and this acceleration requires an even stronger legal framework,” he said.issued a joint statement calling for governmentsHajdu didn’t say definitively when asked on Monday whether the federal government would commit to consulting with Therrien, but said that privacy will be a priority.
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