As governments around the world look to find solutions to be able to better trace the spread of COVID-19, smart phone apps that do just that are being looked at here in Canada.

BC’s Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says there is a prevalence of apps out there that it would have to do some research on.

“We have been using some apps voluntarily in some parts of the province already to help facilitate that ongoing connection with people after they’ve been identified,” she said. “There is an initiative nationally to look at an app that people would voluntarily put on their phone.”

Henry says it is very much aware of the privacy concerns.

“Of course we’re very sensitive to the privacy issues around that. I’m not entirely sure yet whether we’re going to be part of that here in B.C.,” she added. “There’s lots of different apps around the world. There is the one from Singapore as well, it’s called ‘Trace Together’ that I know Alberta is looking at in some detail.”

“One of the things that I’ve found is that there are a whole lot of people who have have apps that we need to sort of sort through, and the federal government, the health agency of Canada has done quite a bit of that work. So, we are looking to see what could be helpful for us.”