Responding to the launch of the Government’s new coronavirus phone tracing App, COVIDSafe, Matt Comyn, Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, said today:
“We believe the use of the Government’s contact tracing app will play an important role in further supressing the transmission of the coronavirus and help give Australians the confidence to gradually return to everyday life. A tracing app will significantly improve what is largely a manual and imprecise process and add to the major success that Australia has had in substantially flattening the curve of infection and limiting the tragic loss of life to one of the lowest levels in the developed world.
“Such contact tracing technology will require broad adoption if it is to be successful. We fully support the need for this to be achieved on a voluntary basis as the backing of the community from the outset will be essential. The sole purpose of the tracing app will be to contain further transmission of the virus and in doing so help Australia get back to work. Once the economy is gradually re-opened and people feel safe to resume their lives, the app will have done its job and can be deleted from peoples’ phones.
“While Australia has done a very good job to date in containing the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus, we are still in the early days of this pandemic. As long as we all continue to work together, there is a real opportunity for Australia to continue to manage it well and emerge faster and in better physical and economic health than most other affected countries. I will be downloading and using the app, and I encourage others to do so.”
