Rhode Island Releases Updated 'Crush COVID' App

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island has rolled out the new version of its "Crush COVID" app, touted as a one-stop shop for the latest coronavirus-related updates and a place to find information about testing, record a location diary and more.

The first version of the app was launched in May. Since then, around 60,000 Rhode Islanders have downloaded it, a number Gov, Gina Raimondo said she hoped to get to 100,000.The new version of the app has increased functionality, the governor said, including several features created based on feedback from the public.

The following features are now available in Rhode Island's Crush COVID app:

• The ability to write notes on location points in the location diary, such as the name of the place or who the person came in close contact with.
• An expansion of the symptom tracker to include a 20-day record, allowing a person to better track when symptoms begin.
• A map of nearby testing sites.
• An expanded frequently asked questions section.
• The ability to download the app in Portuguese, as well as the original English and Spanish.

Raimondo again emphasized that the state government and app developers Infosys has personal security in mind when creating the app. No information, including the location diary, will be shared with the Rhode Island Department of Health, app developers or state government. All information is stored on the user's phone, and the location diary auto-deletes after 20 days.

If a person tests positive for COVID-19, a RIDOH contact tracer will reach out to them and ask for access to the location diary. The user then has the option to share it, read it over the phone or decline. If shared with the department, the data is identified only by a number, not the person's name or other personal information. The data will be used for contact tracing only, then deleted, Raimondo said, adding that she uses it herself and encourages her staff and others to do so as well.