VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 9, 2021 / According to a new survey, only three percent of Americans receive information from government agencies about COVID-19 resources, tools and information. Tracker Ventures Corp. ("Tracker" or the "Company") (CSE:TKR) (OTC:TLOOF) (FWB:B2I) announced that Contakt LLC ("Contakt World"), a technology and media company modernizing public health and safety, conducted a survey focusing on how to best address the needs of individuals in local communities to help local officials provide a successful pandemic response.
Overall results point towards proper and trustworthy notification on local protocols, potential exposure and verified coronavirus information from an authorized source as an essential part of efforts to keep at-risk communities safe. Many respondents (67%) said they would be willing to download an app that allows their local health agency to provide them with COVID-19 related updates. Other key findings include:
- 84% would be willing to provide information to help health agencies identify "hotspots" in the community
- 65% would be willing to provide necessary information to health agencies to reduce restrictions
- 61% would be willing to download a contact tracing app (with 16.7% willing to receive notifications)
- 62% prefer their close contacts to be notified about potential exposure through text message or a smartphone app
- 49% prefer texting as the method of contact (*noting 14.2% approve of contact via email)
"As we've seen throughout the pandemic, COVID-19 has adversely affected the most vulnerable people in our communities in every facet of their lives," said Justin Beck, CEO of Contakt World. "Without a comprehensive and coordinated federal response, it's often left to local health agencies to fill in the gaps without the proper tools and funding to meet the task at hand. At Contakt World, we're committed to helping local health agencies bridge that gap and provide the tools their communities need to help them reach people where they are."
High-Risk Communities Are Ready for Vaccines
The introduction of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines have shined a spotlight on the current anti-vaxxer movement in America as well as the problems facing our public health system. More than half (52%) of those surveyed stated they would take a vaccine as soon as it becomes available and more than three-fourths (76%) of respondents expressed a positive sentiment to have vaccine verifications by businesses.
Despite these encouraging statistics, many Americans are still waiting for vaccinations to reach their communities.
"The problems we're facing with vaccines are not unlike problems we've seen in contact tracing and the testing rollout," said Beck. "To move forward and ensure the right resources reach the right people, it's important that we depoliticize COVID-19 and defer to experts that can help point us in the best direction for our health and safety."
Ways Local Health Authorities Can Engage
As the pandemic surges on, Americans continue to look for resources that can answer their questions. More than one-third (36.1%) of participants reported first hearing about COVID-19 resources from the news media, with the second and third most popular being social media (17%) and online search (13%). "It's important for us to understand the needs of communities and how they consume information," Beck continued. "Rather than prioritizing a product or technology, we have a strong focus on human-centered design in innovation and communication."
The survey also sheds light on the following:
- Contact tracing systems needs to be voluntary. Communities are telling us they don't want to be forced or pushed to use a contact tracing system; it's most important that the system users are comfortably in control. Further, the option of a subscription-based, non-invasive, daily in-home testing kit that in fifteen minutes measures one's well-being was very well received and deemed necessary and important to help manage the situation.
- User privacy must be protected. Users are skeptical. There is a feeling they are being traced, and that "Big Brother" is watching their every move with a fear their data might be shared or, even worse, sold. A distrust for corporate America and governmental organizations is tangible and must be overcome. Local officials must do all they can to assure users that their privacy is not compromised.
- Connect to local businesses. It's important for communities to be in a position to be notified of risk, if need be. If that means providing information to and being connected to local businesses, they are willing to do so, as this provides an added layer of comfort.
- Phone calls are not enough. Less than one-in-five (16.5%) of those surveyed prefer their health agency reach them by phone if it's important, whereas a total of 81% prefer text, email, interactive voice or an app.
In summary, the survey shows that health agencies need to innovate to improve contact tracing, vaccination trust and general public health education - and specifically - use multiple modes of communication. "Phone calls just aren't cutting it alone, and it's no wonder some jurisdictions have less than 10% participation in contact tracing," added Beck.
Contakt World is commited to investing in ground-up innovation and providing technology solutions that are human-centered by design. The survey was conducted by Contakt World as an initiative to bring solutions for public health by understanding the community. To learn more about these issues and the tools and resources that can help bridge the gap, visit www.contakt.world.
Survey Methodology
The study was conducted among a representative group of 561 respondents across the United States in December.
Contakt World - Tracker Transaction
Tracker and Contakt World are parties to a definitive amalgamation agreement pursuant to which Tracker will indirectly acquire (the "Acquisition") a 100% interest in Contakt World. For further information respecting the Acquisition, please refer to the Company's news release dated December 8, 2020. Trading of Tracker's shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") has been halted in connection with the announcement of the Acquisition and is not expected to resume until the CSE has approved a Form 2A Listing Statement for the resulting issuer from the Acquisition. There can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be completed on the terms proposed in the amalgamation agreement or at all.
About Contakt World
Contakt World is a technology and media company innovating public health agency connections with their community, with the goal of becoming the most trustworthy, accessible and scalable digital public health and safety platform globally - addressing the needs of a post-pandemic world. Contakt World combines aggressive research and development, human-centered design, next-gen data integrations, and strategic health partnerships to empower and build mutual trust within communities, contributing towards health equity for users around the world. Contakt World's first suite of tools emerge from the urgency surrounding coronavirus to manage the pandemic through innovative contact tracing and case management spanning multiple modes of communication. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.contakt.world.
About Tracker Ventures Corp.
Tracker Ventures (CSE:TKR)(OTC PINK:TLOOF)(FSE:B2I) is an analytics software company that leverages blockchain and digital asset technology to transform and modernize multiple industries. Tracker is taking a diversified approach to the analytics and technology space, delivering practical solutions in the health, finance, logistics and pharmaceutical industries. The Company's turnkey real-time tracking solutions offer the very latest in IoT and AI, providing valuable data and business intelligence to some of the world's leading brands. For more information, please visit www.tkrventures.com.
Media Contact:
Kevin Harrington
Account Director - 5WPR
[email protected]
www.5wpr.com
Investor Contact:
Lucas A. Zimmerman
Senior Vice President - MZ North America
Direct: 949-259-4987
[email protected]
www.mzgroup.us
Forward Looking-Statements
Certain information set forth in this press release contains statements that reflect "forward-looking information", as such term is defined under Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as "intends", "anticipates", "expects", "believes", "plans", "likely" or similar words. Specifically, this news release includes forward looking statements regarding completion of the Acquisition and the timing thereof, and the CSE's approval of the Listing Statement. The forward-looking statements reflect the Company's and Contakt World's respective management's expectations, estimates, or projections concerning future results or events, based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates considered reasonable by management at the date the statements are made. Although the Company and Contakt World believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, as unknown or unpredictable factors could cause actual results to be materially different from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are: whether the parties are able to satisfy the relevant conditions precedent for completion of the Acquisition; and whether the parties are able to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals for the Acquisition. The forward-looking statements may also be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of Tracker, including those described in the Company's public filings available on www.SEDAR.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
SOURCE: Tracker Ventures Corp.