Table 3.
Features of COVID-19 contact tracing apps contributing to engagement.
| Categories and featuresa | Countries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ATb | BEc | CHd | CZe | DEf | EEg | ENh | ESi | FIj | FRk | HRl | ISm | IEn | ITo | LVp | MTq | NLr | PLs | PTt | SCu | SIv | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Symptoms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Symptom checkerw | ✓x | —y | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓z | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓z | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Symptom diaryaa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Regularly updated information provided within the app | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics on COVID-19ab | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | — | ✓z | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓z | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
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App useac | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Public health instructions/restrictionsad | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ✓z | ✓ | — | ✓z | — | — | — | ✓z | — | ✓z | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Burden on health care systemae | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | ✓z | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Individualization | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Assigning personal dataaf | — | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Updates on assigned regionag | — | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Control over tracing activityah | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Contact diaryai | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Venue check-inaj | — | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Communication | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chatak | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
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COVID-19–related helplinesal | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Sharingam | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||||||||||||||||
aThe specified functions represent the status as of December 5, 2020. App development is dynamic and additional features may have been released in the meantime (eg, a contact diary and daily statistics have been added in the German app).
bAT: Austria.
cBE: Belgium.
dCH: Switzerland.
eCZ: Czech Republic.
fDE: Germany.
gEE: Estonia.
hEN: England/Wales.
iES: Spain.
jFI: Finland.
kFR: France.
lHR: Croatia.
mIS: Iceland.
nIE: Ireland.
oIT: Italy.
pLV: Latvia.
qMT: Malta.
rNL: Netherlands.
sPL: Poland.
tPT: Portugal.
uSC: Scotland.
vSI: Slovenia.
wSymptom checker: symptom checker is used only if required.
xIncluded in this app.
yNot included in this app.
zIndicates that features are displayed on an external website.
aaSymptom diary: symptoms are monitored daily and symptom history is saved.
abStatistics on COVID-19: numerical information regarding infections, deaths, tested, etc.
acApp use: numbers of app downloads, transferred positive COVID-19 tests, warnings from the app, etc.
adPublic health instructions/restrictions: app links to current information on the pandemic, for example, on how to protect oneself from the virus or which restrictions are currently in place.
aeBurden on health care system: numerical information on available intensive care units, numbers of COVID-19 cases hospitalized, etc.
afAssigning personal data: potential to provide personal data (telephone number, nickname, postal code).
agUpdates on assigned region: updates on the status of assigned region of residence.
ahControl over tracing activity: potential to disable tracing in app settings.
aiContact diary: users can document their contacts.
ajVenue check-in: using a Quick Response code, users check into venues.
akChat: app provides a chat function.
alCOVID-19–related helplines: app provides telephone numbers to seek help (medical).
amSharing: app has a (prominently displayed) button so the app can be shared.