More than 5,000 workers have the tracing app available on their mobile phones to stop the spread of COVID-19

EPIdig is now available on thousands of mobile phones all over Spain. More than 5,000 professionals from both technological organisations have been the first to try this pioneering tool, which enables positive cases of COVID-19 to be traced whilst guaranteeing the privacy of citizens, which is fundamental to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

Together with Ibermática, we are the first in Spain to develop and deploy a people tracing application to stop the COVID-19 infection curve. We have succeeded in ensuring that this technology guarantees user privacy, thanks to an intensive use of cryptography and data decentralisation, revealing no personal information to central servers and hence avoiding the possibility that such data is exploited. To do so, the system stores and processes all of the information on the users’ own devices. The location is not saved so as to ensure privacy.

The app is based on the DP-3T protocol, which allows early detection of exposure to infection and is therefore more effective in determining which asymptomatic persons should be tested, whilst ensuring the privacy of their contacts, whereby data is solely used to determine exposure to COVID-19. Furthermore, it has the approval and seal of Google and Apple, which implemented the DP-3T protocol in their smart phone operating systems in April.

The system uses of mobile phone’s bluetooth. It just needs to be activated and monitoring can be deactivated when one wishes. Those who test positive for COVID-19 must report their infection via the application so that other users with whom they have been in contact can isolate and contact the health authorities to evaluate whether they have been infected or not. A verification code will be provided to avoid slip-ups or hoaxes.

Ibermática has developed and piloted this technology as part of the Diagnosis and Containment Optimisation System project (OptiDiC) under the framework of the COVID-19 emergency measures by the Basque Government’s Department for Economic Development and Infrastructures, at the level of research support actions, subsidised by SPRI in this specific case.

As Antonio Díaz Almagro, Director of Health and Public Administrations at Ibermática explained, “we are in discussions with several regional governments, from different areas (Healthcare, Tourism, Economic Development, etc.) for the urgent launch of our App, which is the only one that allows for immediate implementation in a matter of days”.