In a statement Germany’s Health Minister Jens Spahn said, Germany is scheduled to launch its coronavirus tracing smartphone app later this week.

The development comes after brief delays to ensure the Bluetooth technology would work at the correct distance.

The tool will play a critical role to help avoid a second wave of infections in the country.

“It’s coming this week,” said Spahn to ARD television, while declining to confirm that the app will be launched this Tuesday.

The app uses Bluetooth short-range radio to detect and contact people at risk of coronavirus infection and does not not rely on a centralized database.

Deutsche Telekom and SAP are involved in the project.

Last week, Italy launched a similar app.

Thanks to lockdown measures, large scale testing for coronavirus, and Germany’s robust health system, Germany has kept the COVID19 death rate relatively low, despite the large number of cases, in comparison to other countries.