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“Immuni” and the National Health System: Lessons Learnt from the COVID-19 Digital Contact Tracing in Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Silvia Ussai

    (Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Marco Pistis

    (Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Eduardo Missoni

    (Center for Research on Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), Bocconi University, 20124 Milan, Italy
    Saluteglobale.it Associazione di Promozione Sociale, 25123 Brescia, Italy)

  • Beatrice Formenti

    (Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy)

  • Benedetta Armocida

    (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Ageing, 00161 Rome, Italy)

  • Tatiana Pedrazzi

    (Department of Occupational Medicine, Hygiene, Toxicology and Occupational Prevention, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy)

  • Francesco Castelli

    (Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy)

  • Lorenzo Monasta

    (Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Research Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health—IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, Trieste, Italy)

  • Baldassare Lauria

    (G. Gulotta” Foundation, 50100 Florence, Italy)

  • Ilaria Mariani

    (WHO Collaborating Centre, Institute for Maternal and Child Health—IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy)

Abstract

Since the early stage of the current pandemic, digital contact tracing (DCT) through mobile phone apps, called “Immuni”, has been introduced to complement manual contact tracing in Italy. Until 31 December 2021, Immuni identified 44,880 COVID-19 cases, which corresponds to less than 1% of total COVID-19 cases reported in Italy in the same period (5,886,411). Overall, Immuni generated 143,956 notifications. Although the initial download of the Immuni app represented an early interest in the new tool, Immuni has had little adoption across the Italian population, and the recent increase in its download is likely to be related to the mandatory Green Pass certification for conducting most daily activities that can be obtained via the application. Therefore, Immuni failed as a support tool for the contact tracing system. Other European experiences seem to show similar limitations in the use of DTC, leaving open questions about its effectiveness, although in theory, contact tracing could allow useful means of “proximity tracking”.

Suggested Citation

  • Silvia Ussai & Marco Pistis & Eduardo Missoni & Beatrice Formenti & Benedetta Armocida & Tatiana Pedrazzi & Francesco Castelli & Lorenzo Monasta & Baldassare Lauria & Ilaria Mariani, 2022. "“Immuni” and the National Health System: Lessons Learnt from the COVID-19 Digital Contact Tracing in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-7, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:12:p:7529-:d:843043
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fabrizio Pecoraro & Daniela Luzi, 2021. "Open Data Resources on COVID-19 in Six European Countries: Issues and Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-18, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mirko Duradoni & Mustafa Can Gursesli & Letizia Materassi & Elena Serritella & Andrea Guazzini, 2022. "The Long-COVID Experience Changed People’s Vaccine Hesitancy but Not Their Vaccination Fear," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Flavia Beccia & Andrea Di Pilla & Francesco Andrea Causio & Bruno Federico & Maria Lucia Specchia & Carlo Favaretti & Stefania Boccia & Gianfranco Damiani, 2022. "Narrative Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic’s First Two Years in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Dalibor Stanimirovic & Lucija Tepej Jocic, 2022. "Accelerated Digitalization of the Epidemiological Measures: Overcoming the Technological and Process Complexities of Establishing the EU Digital COVID Certificate in Slovenia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Xian-Xian Liu & Jie Yang & Simon Fong & Nilanjan Dey & Richard C. Millham & Jinan Fiaidhi, 2022. "All-People-Test-Based Methods for COVID-19 Infectious Disease Dynamics Simulation Model: Towards Citywide COVID Testing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-23, September.

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