Canada's COVID Alert app - probably best if you get it

These are indeed weird times.  I have to wonder how people manage to wade through the enormity of the information flowing around and try to distil true meaning into their lives.  It's not easy.

The sad reality of it is that it isn't going away any time soon; especially (in my opinion) as we move to ever relaxing restrictions.  Sure, we need to relax, we can't ALWAYS be on heightened guard.  But doing so comes at a risk.  

Anyways, one way we can arm ourselves is through the new Canadian COVID Alert App.

I know it's not because of my local MP, who happens to be the Minister for Health, but there's a bit of pride knowing what a great job she's doing that she played some role in it.

Do you NEED this app?  Absolutely not, but the strength of this app comes in when as many of us do use it.

So what is it?  There have been concerns of contact tracing and geohistory etc... does that undermine our privacy?  

Those could, but this ... this is different than that, and it's so simple, that I actually find it hard to explain how it works (yeah, yeah, I know, Einstein) .. but I found this great little comic that does a succinct job of it. 

https://ncase.me/contact-tracing/

Basically, your phone just says gibberish, and then it listens for gibberish from other phones.  If anybody ever tests positive they'll upload the gibberish they spoke.  Your app checks those lists of gibberish that tested positive and if it heard some of it, then you might be at risk.

It's a neat system, but only works if I'm around people that use it too.

So... I think we should all use it.  I think you'd like to know if it turns out I had it and we were near, and vice versa.  Social contract and all...

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