U.S. Contact Tracing Efforts Face Setbacks Over Privacy, Tech Issues

Tech giants Apple and Google proposed contact tracing plans to combat COVID-19, but privacy concerns have delayed app rollouts. Brian McClendon highlighted valid data concerns, especially regarding location data. North Dakota is developing a more secure app using the Apple-Google framework. Bluetooth-based contact tracing addresses privacy issues but requires user opt-in, limiting effectiveness. Only a few states have adopted this framework. Experts suggest a national app and more manual contact tracers are needed, as the U.S. lags behind other countries in hiring tracers.

According to experts, what is the current state of manual contact tracing in the US?

What is the suggested number of manual contact tracers needed in the US to effectively track the illness?