That could make it much easier for people to get the tool on their phone even if their local public health agency hasn't built its own compatible app. For people with Android phones, Google will automatically generate an Android app for public health agencies that phone users can then download. Virginia says nearly half a million of its 8.5 million residents have downloaded its app since the state in early August became the first to launch a customized pandemic app using the Google-Apple framework. Some of the apps don't work as well once people travel across state borders, although a group of coordinating public health agencies is working to fix that by setting up a national server. The companies say the app won't reveal personal information either to them or public health officials.

Source: ABC News September 01, 2020 16:52 UTC