Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest public health crisis of the last 100 years. Countries have responded with various levels of lockdown to save lives and stop health systems from being overwhelmed. At the same time, lockdowns entail large socio-economic costs. One exit strategy under consideration is a mobile phone app that traces close contacts of those infected with COVID-19. Contact tracing apps work best when used by a large proportion of the population. The objective of this study is to investigate user acceptability of a contact-tracing app in five countries hit by the pandemic. Methods: We conducted cross-sectional anonymous online surveys in France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the US. The survey asked about intentions to use a contact-tracing app under various scenarios. Our study sample consists of 5995 adults. Findings: We find very strong support for a contact-tracing app, with an overall acceptance rate of 74.8%. Acceptability is high regardless of the respondent's country or individual background, or the scenario considered. Trust in government is an important determinant of support. Interpretation: Acceptability of app-based contact tracing for COVID-19 was widely supported in five countries hit by the pandemic to various degrees and with different attitudes towards privacy. Our findings are therefore encouraging for the viability of this approach. Funding Statement: Economic and Social Research Council (grant ES/R011710/1), the University of Oxford and Volkswagen Foundation (grant Consequences of Artificial Intelligence for Urban Societies''). Declaration of Interests: None declared. Ethics Approval Statement: Ethics approval was obtained from the University of Oxford (reference number ECONCIA20-21-06).
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest public health threat of the last 100 years
Our findings show that the willingness to install the app is very high
If a user is diagnosed with COVID-19, they can use the app to declare the diagnosis, which notifies all other users who have come in close contact with the infected person, asking them to isolate at home for 14 days or until they have been tested by the public health authority
Summary
In the absence of an effective treatment or vaccination (as of June 2020), the public health response has so far relied on nonpharmaceutical measures to limit the spread of the epidemic, such as physical distancing, case isolation, and manual contact tracing [1]. These measures have not been sufficient to stop the epidemic. Ferretti and colleagues [7] have proposed digital (app-based) contact tracing as an alternative measure to contain the epidemic without the large economic costs of lockdowns. As the effectiveness of this approach increases strongly with app uptake, it is crucial to understand public support for this intervention
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
