Attempts to add technology tools to help public health systems track and alert people who may have been unwittingly exposed to the coronavirus have foundered on implementation challenges, public skepticism and legal challenges.
At least five states have attempted to create their own tracking apps, while other states created their own based on an interface provided by Apple and Google. Impact has been limited so far. Only 4% of North Dakotans are using the state's app.
Most local governments have also fallen short on offline efforts to track, notify and attempt to isolate people potentially exposed to the virus. Massachusetts cut back on its contract tracing, claiming unreliable results. A group of Texans is suing the state to block the practice, claiming a breach of their constitutional rights.