Viral spread is a complicated function of multiple elements including biological properties, preventative measures such as sanitation and masks, the environment, and the level of physical proximity. It is this last element that governments can control through social-distancing directives. However, with a pandemic such as COVID-19, the data is always lagging and biased since the time between a patient being infected with SARS-CoV-2 and being recorded as positive can be a week or more. Consequently there can be a time lag of the order of several weeks between the initiation of a regulatory measure and its observed effect. There is thus a pressing need for real time information on the level of physical proximity while respecting personal privacy.
Safe Blues fills this need, providing real time population-level estimates of the level of physical proximity and near-future projections of the epidemic. Safe Blues strands are safe virtual `virus-like' tokens that are spread using cellular devices and Bluetooth. Real time counts of multiple forms of the tokens are combined with delayed measurements of the actual epidemic. Then using machine-learning techniques the Safe Blues system creates more accurate projections about the current and near-future state of the epidemic.
The Safe Blues protocol and machine learning techniques have been developed together with an experimental minimal viable product, presented as an app on Android devices with a server back-end. We are now preparing for a university-wide experiment of Safe Blues.
See also a list of further media.
See the Safe Blues GitHub organization
For inquiries, please contact via e-mail.