Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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846. To ask the Minister for Health if the Covid-19 tracking app will work on a smartphone that has Bluetooth turned on and can access Wi-Fi at home but does not have access to a phone network or to internet 3G, 4G and so on over a phone network. [14420/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Covid-19 tracing app will work even if the smartphone does not have access to the 3G or 4G network.

1. The phones only require Bluetooth capability (to have the app installed and be running the most recent operating systems) to be able to detect each other (2 metre, 15 minute rule).

2. The phones only require wireless connectivity to be able to download the anonymous keys required for the phone to determine whether the user has been in contact with someone who has been confirmed as Covid positive, and to create an alert.

3. When a person is confirmed as Covid positive, they will ordinarily be sent a one time password (OTP) via text so they can upload their encrypted keys. If the user does not have access to the 3G or 4G, HSE contact tracing operations will need to provide them with a code over the phone. This is a little more complicated than if they were able to receive a text, but still means the app is usable in the absence of access to 3G or 4G.