More than 4 million people have downloaded the COVIDSafe app, but the information it collects is not yet available to state and territory health officials.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called the contact-tracing app a vital tool in protecting Australians against coronavirus.

But the ABC has confirmed that if a person tests positive to coronavirus today, the information on their app will not be passed on to contact tracers, because states and territories are still working out how the system will operate.

"The rules on privacy are being finalised, along with final IT testing," a Department of Health spokesman said.

"The system will be operational next week ahead of the decision on possible easing of restrictions."

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd conceded there had been a delay in health officials being able to access the data.

"This [the app] has been implemented very quickly," he said.

"What we're doing is making sure that the operations are going to work appropriately and safely, but also [making] sure that the people in the contact-tracing facilities in the states and territories are trained on how to use the app, and how to use it appropriately."

He said the app was already logging users' close contacts, and that information could be accessed at a later date.

"But the important thing is that if people have downloaded the app and they have it running in the background on their phone, it's already gathering details of people you've been in close contact with.

"There's a delay from now until when the contact tracer in the state or territory where you are based has activated the system."

Questions about interference with other apps

News of the delay came as the Government confirmed it was looking into concerns COVIDSafe could interfere with health apps.

Diabetes Australia has received reports from a number of people who said they experienced connection problems with their continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) apps after downloading COVIDSafe.

A spokesman for Health Minister Greg Hunt said the matter was being examined by the Department of Health and the Digital Transformation Agency.

Diabetes Australia has recommended people temporarily uninstall COVIDSafe if they are concerned.

Professor Kidd said while officials would continue to determine whether there was a clash between the apps, people should prioritise the use of CGM apps

"That is the number one priority for those people," he said.

PM pushes rapid downloads

COVIDSafe works by using Bluetooth technology to log when a person comes into close contact with others who have downloaded it.

If one of those people tests positive to COVID-19, a contact tracer will ask permission to access the data collected on the app.

People who have been in close contact with the confirmed case will then be contacted.

The app can store 21 days' worth of contact information.

"Every Australian will be safer if those health officers [the contact tracers] are able to contact you more quickly if you have been exposed to the coronavirus and, importantly, that means that you will be less at risk of infecting others if they can get to you fast," Mr Morrison said last month.

Friday the PM urged all Australians to download COVIDSafe, saying the sooner they did so, the sooner they would be able to go to the pub.

"It's like putting on sunscreen when you go out into the blazing sun. You can't go out in the blazing sun unless you've got that protection in place," he said.

National Cabinet has agreed to consider relaxing social distancing restrictions when it meets next Friday, but this will only occur if more Australians download COVIDSafe.

The Federal Government had previously said that 40 per cent of the population would have to sign up to the app for it to be effective, but now officials will not put a figure on it.

"We need as many people as possible to download the app … having 4 million people who have already downloaded in six days provides a fantastic baseline for us to start working from," Professor Kidd said.

COVIDSafe is supported by all state and territory governments and also has the backing of key health groups such as the Australian Medical Association and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation.

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