Michigan app helps notify of COVID exposure
What began as a test at MSU has now been expanded to the entire state of Michigan. The MI COVID Alert app warns users if they’ve been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
The app is free, available for iPhone and Android, and promises to protect users’ privacy.
How it works: Rather than identifying a user’s phone directly, the app creates a unique ID for every user. The app then uses Bluetooth technology to identify nearby phones with the app installed.
Users are prompted to check in if they’ve had a COVID-19 test. If they report a positive test, the app checks which other phones it has been near in recent days. Then it alerts those users they may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
The app does not use location or GPS information and does not personally identify individual users.
Where to find it: You can read more about the app on the state’s website.
The app is available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
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