National Sep 25, 2020
Japan considers facial recognition for contact tracing at big events
The government also hopes to improve the national capacity to conduct saliva-based polymerase chain reaction tests.
World / Science & Health Aug 19, 2020
'Test and trace' crucial but won't beat coronavirus alone, study says
Testing for COVID-19 and tracing the prior contacts of those found to be infected are crucial measures for slowing the disease's spread, but inadequate unless combined with other measures, researchers said Wednesday. By itself, the test-and-trace approach can reduce the virus's reproduction rate, or R ...
World Aug 5, 2020
Local governments in U.S. 'overwhelmed' in race to trace COVID-19 contacts
by Benjamin Lesser, Dan Levine, Jaimi Dowdell and Andrea Januta
Many city and county departments say they lack the money and staff to expeditiously identify people who have been exposed.
Commentary / World Jul 21, 2020
U.S. must do better on its second COVID-19 test
by Mohamed A. El-Erian
The nation needs to incorporate lessons from its first “natural experiment” about policy relief, social distancing, testing and contact tracing.
National Jul 11, 2020
Japan's contact-tracing app suspended again to fix input glitch preventing alerts
by Satoshi Sugiyama
The health ministry has confirmed that the app isn't recognizing infected users' reference numbers when entered, crippling the notification process.
National Jul 3, 2020
Japan ministry issues infection codes for COVID-19 contact tracing app
The codes allow users to be warned by their smartphones if they spent 15 minutes within a meter of someone infected in the past 14 days.
National / Science & Health Jun 27, 2020
Japan's COVID-19 app reaches 4 million downloads in first week
Japan's COVID-19 contact-tracing app has been downloaded more than 4 million times since its launch a week ago as the government seeks to head off a second wave of infections now that businesses and schools have reopened. Health ministry official Yasuyuki Sahara said while there ...
National Jun 23, 2020
Bugs force health ministry to halt Japan's virus contact-tracing app
The free app was launched Friday and had been downloaded around 3.71 million times as of Tuesday morning.
National Jun 19, 2020
Japan's coronavirus contact-tracing app launched amid privacy concerns
"It does not collect personal data at all. People can use it without worry," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in urging its use to curb the pandemic.
Asia Pacific Jun 15, 2020
South Korea crushed a huge coronavirus outbreak. Can it beat a second wave?
The country’s mass testing and contract tracing garnered praise as a model for handling the virus.
Commentary / Japan Jun 2, 2020
The secret of Japan's success in combating COVID-19
by Tomoya Saito
The nation's public health workers who tracked down infection routes are the unsung heroes who contained the coronavirus threat.
National Jun 2, 2020
Osaka introduces QR contact tracing system as bars and restaurants reopen
by Eric Johnston
Users who scan the code at establishments will be notified if another patron is later found to have become infected.