Governor Lamont Announces Launch Of COVID Alert CT, The Exposure Notification App In Connecticut

Press release from the Town of Stonington:

November 12, 2020

Governor Lamont Announces Launch of COVID Alert CT, the Exposure Notification App in Connecticut - Connecticut Launches its Official COVID-19 Exposure Notification App for Mobile Devices

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the State of Connecticut has launched its official COVID-19 exposure notification app, COVID Alert CT. The app, available for Apple and Android mobile devices, informs users if they may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 – all without sharing any personal information.

Here’s how it works:

First, users should visit ct.gov/covidalertct, where they can find instructions on how to download the app for their specific device.

Once installed, the app uses Bluetooth to sense whether a user’s device has been within 6 feet of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more in one day – without sharing any personal information.

If a user has been near another person who has tested positive and is also using the app on their personal device, an alert will be triggered notifying the user that they may have been exposed to COVID-19.

A notification will not be triggered if two devices in this scenario are just passing by for a short duration or stay more than 6 feet away from each other.

If a user tests positive:

A contact tracer from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, their local health department, or their higher education institution will ask them if they are willing to share the “close contact” codes their app has logged while they may have been contagious.

If the user agrees, a contract tracer will provide them with a verification code.

Once that code is submitted through the user’s app, those individuals who came within 6 feet of that user for more than 15 minutes and who also are using the app will receive a notification on their device that they were in close contact with someone with COVID-19.

Sharing this status is secure and private. The app will never reveal who the user is to anyone else.

The governor explained that this app is not a replacement for the state’s contact tracing system, but can supplement it in an incredibly helpful way. When people test positive in Connecticut, they are directed to get in touch with a contact tracer.

“We’re making every effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Connecticut,” Governor Lamont said. “This app is another tool to make sure that every resident of our state has what they need to combat this pandemic from the ground up. This app also complements – but doesn’t replace – our broader contact tracing program, which is an invaluable resource in combating the pandemic and ensuring those who need it have the tools necessary to self-isolate or quarantine.”

“To stop the spread of COVID-19, we each need to do our part, and we hope everyone with a smartphone will participate in this new program,” Connecticut’s Chief Operating Officer Josh Geballe said. “This is just one example of how we are leveraging modern technology to fight this pandemic and keep Connecticut safe.”

“Contact tracing is a critical part of the public health response to COVID-19,” Connecticut’s Acting Public Health Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford said. “Any effort to supplement that program could be a crucial step in stopping the spread of the virus. If even one person is in touch with a contact tracer and discusses their contacts for the past 14 days, it could result in a chain reaction that stops dozens or more from getting infected.”

For instructions on how to download the app and to read other information about its use, visit ct.gov/covidalertct.

This press release was produced by the Town of Stonington.The views expressed here are the author’s own.