The Australian government coronavirus tracking app "COVIDSafe" installed on a phone in Sydney, Australia, Monday. Photo: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
Almost 2 million Australians have downloaded a coronavirus tracing app within hours of its release, Health Minister Greg Hunt announced Monday, as the country moves to ease restrictions.
The big picture: A top health official stressed at a briefing Sunday that the app is "only for one purpose, to help contact tracing," as the government seeks to get at least 40% of the population to use the app for it to be effective. Australia has reported just over 6,700 cases and 83 deaths from COVID-19. In the U.S., most people told a Kaiser Family Foundation poll they'd share their coronavirus test results with public health officials, but fewer would download an app that tracks who they come in contact with.
Go deeper: Americans' buy-in for smart phone app could be red flag for coronavirus contact-tracing