Legal framework for COVID app being worked on

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is in the process of putting the necessary legal framework in place for the mandatory implementation of the new COVID-19 tracking application for persons entering the Federation when the borders reopen.
 
The disclosure was made yesterday (Oct. 8) by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hazel Laws while responding to a question on the long-promised application at the NEOC Media Briefing.
 
She told the public that the application is currently ready for use, where the incoming traveller would be asked to upload the National COVID-19 Mobile Application.
 
“And so, yes, that application is the thinking! The app is ready to be launched, and what is worked on is the legal framework for its implementation. And so we will utilise this tool to help us to monitor incoming travellers,” disclosed the CMO.   
    
The geofencing app will allow health officials to pinpoint the exact location where someone was and if they are not where they should be, and if they left the confines of a particular location where they should not be.
 
Additionally, it will allow for easy contact tracing by health officials.
 
The move is being welcomed as St. Kitts and Nevis moves to reopen its border - both air and seaports - along with the fact that many regional travellers are expected to come from the CARICOM Bubble where the threat remains.
 
But Dr. Laws emphasised that the application would be used by both categories of travellers - those in the CARICOM Bubble and those who are not classified, those being international travellers and those from territories deemed high risk with large COVID-19 numbers.
 
“So, they would be monitored using this application. It has geofencing features whereby we would be monitoring their location to ensure that they are not outside of where they ought to be.”
 
Moreover, it was revealed that there is a clinical feature to the application that would allow for sick or infected persons to report their symptoms and, they in turn, would receive a check-up from health officials.
 
Health officials are working with NEOC to implement the necessary protocols for the reopening of the borders to prevent the spread of the virus.