What You Should Know About PA's New COVID Tracing App

PENNSYLVANIA — Pennsylvania this week launched a new app that helps officials contact trace amid the coronavirus pandemic. It's a coronavirus exposure notification mobile app called COVID Alert PA, which seeks to help fight the spread of the virus, according to state officials.

As of Thursday, more than 70,000 Pennsylvanians have downloaded the app.

Gov. Wolf said he encourages all residents to download it. "The more people who download the app, the more effective it will be in helping to stop the spread of COVID. Please download it today and make your phone part of the fight," he said.

So what do Pennsylvanians need to know about the new app?

Here are five key things:

1. It uses Exposure Notification System technology developed by Apple and Google.

Through the system, the app can tell if you've been in close contact — within 6 feet — with another app user who tested positive for the coronavirus for 15 minutes or more. When users confirm positive coronavirus test results in the app, it will check to see if it matches any of the close contact interactions your phone has had over the last 14 days.

2. Those who use the app and have come in contact with a person who tested positive will get a notification to their phone called a "COVID-19 Exposure Alert."

These alerts are sent after the date and duration of the contact as well as Bluetooth signal strength (which is used to estimate how close your phone was to the phone of the person having a positive test result) are taken into account. Once you tap on the notification, you'll get public health guidance on what to do next.

3. When the health department contacts someone who tests positive for coronavirus to discuss their diagnosis, learn how they are feeling, and understand who may have been exposed to them, the public health representative will provide with a unique six-digit validation code to the individual to enter into the app.

4. Once this is done, the app will be able to alert other app users who have been in close contact with the coronavirus positive individual. The Exposure Alerts do not reveal the identity of the positive individual or their whereabouts.

5. While some may be concerned about privacy issues, state officials said the app does not enable any location services or GPS, nor does it track anyone. According to officials, the app is designed to be completely anonymous and will never collect, transmit or store personal information

To ensure anonymity, the Exposure Notification System works by using Bluetooth Low Energy. This allows phones with the app to recognize when they close to another phone. The system only uses proximity between phones rather than users' locations.

"It is important to remember that the Department of Health also does not know the identity of app users who receive alerts—the department will only see the number of exposure notifications generated on any given date," officials said of the app and privacy concerns.

The free app is available on the Apple App store or Google Play store.