Local Focus: No complaints so far in Ngongotahā Covid card trial

"You're just pinging off other people". Made with funding from NZ On Air.

The small community of Ngongotahā has spent the past week trialling the brand new Covid contact tracing card, and so far, so good, with some saying it's much better than the Covid tracer app.

"I do feel the card is a much better solution because you don't need an email address," Ngongotahā resident Christina Harkness said.

"It can be for as many individuals, whoever participates, and it's just something that you wear. You don't even have to worry about it. It's just chuck it on and go about your normal day."

Following the trial, some wearers say they preferred the piece of hardware for its user-friendliness.

"Personally I prefer the card because you don't have to think about it as opposed to when you go into places you've got to remember," Ngongotahā resident Rachel Hansen said.

"Whereas this is just around your neck and you don't have to think about it."

Unlike the app, the card doesn't track a person's location but instead records the other cards the wearer comes into contact with.

"You're just pinging off other people," Hansen said. "It's not really tracking your whereabouts and so for me I don't even think about it."

Harkness said she's had no technical problems.

"Some people are struggling signing in certain places, whereas this doesn't. It will do its thing when it bumps into another card and then it's downloaded whenever."

Regarding privacy, Harkness said she isn't concerned.

"I think it's a really good thing to do and it makes me feel better because if I was to be infected, it's far easier to track my steps than try and rely on my memory."

All personal data will be destroyed but the learnings from the trial will be used in designing the next steps for New Zealand and contact tracing.

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