What it does

Tracking will be a combined result of 2 pools of data resources:

1. Fused location techniques such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), GPS, Wi-Fi, Cell Networks. These Location techniques will follow a decentralised way of storing data so as to overcome any privacy risk. The data will be stored in the user's mobile only and will be correlated locally with the data of any affected user with the proper level of Anonymity.
2. Information sharing between specific contacts and groups that each person optionally can create in the application (based on the voluntary participation and approval of each user). Each Group will follow some principles and proper Terms of Use on what information can be shared to this specific Group. Only authorised members and only in specific groups can receive notifications about the change in the Health Status of a group member.

With these 2 pools of data resources the solution aims to cover even bigger percentage of tracking the infection, where other similar solutions fail!

It will cover cases even when someone is not carrying a mobile phone at the time of infection!

Our Solution to the Isolation Challenge

Our application aims to fight COVID-19 and give social life back to human beings. Our moto is:

"Participate in order to Protect and be Protected"

This means that if we protect ourselves properly, we can also protect the others from staying healthy. By tracking the virus at once, accurately and automatically, we can tackle the spread at the very beginning.

Nowadays, as there is no way to face this epidemic, we follow the guidance of experts and official announcements to avoid social life and outdoor activities and close contacting with other people, even our families and elder people.

With this app, we can turn the page, exit from the isolation mode and change our attitude from "Stay Home" to "Stay Safe". We have a weapon in our hands, and we can use it to protect ourselves and the others. Every infected person can notify via this app the rest contacts and proximity persons to protect themselves. So, proximity people can be aware from whom to be protected. There is no need eventually to stay forever at home just to protect themselves from the "unknown".

We can:

1. be informed if we are tracked by an infected case at once
2. notify the rest for our health status and vice versa

Also, authorities need to lockdown entire cities (i.e. New York), areas and states just because they do not know how to trace the virus thoroughly and instantly. This means millions of people are enforced to stay isolated without knowing who the enemy outside of their house is. With this app in the hands of the authorities, lockdowns will become unnecessary.

Also, this application will help mainly the post lockdowns periods, where people will go outside for work, outdoor activities, travelling, socializing. The app will help to put out the fire immediately.

It can tackle also a 2nd wave of this epidemic.

Where we Differentiate

1. By using both GPS and Bluetooth technologies, we expect to have bigger coverage of tracking than any other solution now can offer (as they use only one of these technologies)
2. By using Contact Information Sharing we expect even greater coverage. These cases cannot be covered by any Location Technology (e.g. Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, Cell Network)
3. We cover cases when a person touches a contaminated surface. This infection could have been caused even between 2 persons that never met. These cases cannot be covered by using only Bluetooth Technology.
4. We cover cases where the infection caused by the virus that was transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. This infection could have been caused even between 2 persons that never met. These cases cannot be covered by using only Bluetooth Technology.
5. We can trace incidents when someone is not carrying a mobile phone at the time of infection. We believe that such incidents cover a great percentage of the overall number.

Some examples can give some insight:

CASE 1: John goes for a while to a neighbour market, grocery, pharmacy without his phone. The owner of the shop is infected.

CASE 2: Mary works in a company and drops by to the 2nd floor to meet a teammate or attends a scheduled meeting in a room with some co-workers from a different department and leaves her phone at her desk. One of these co-workers is already infected.

CASE 3: Ronald plays football with another team and leaves his phone in the locker room. A football player from the other team is infected.

Value

• It will be available for free and can be easily accessible. No need to go anywhere to buy it, “Stay Home” and just download it from the relevant App Store and Google Play Store.

• It will save money for governments and local authorities all over the world

• A great tool in the hands of any National Health Care System.

• It can be easily adapted and used by people and countries all over the world in their fight against the spread of the virus.

• It can cover cases that standard location tracing approaches lack to overocme.

For example, there are thousands of cases and periods of time within a day where one person does not carry the mobile phone but eventually will come into close contact with other (possibly infected) people, i.e. neighbourhoods, local shops and local businesses.

• It will be extremely useful not only during extreme shut down measures imposed by the governments, but also post - lockdowns. As it will be proved as the best and cost effective measure of early detection and ultimately avoid or manage a second wave of COVID-19.

• It can be re-used in other contagious diseases and epidemics.