Canada, and Ontario have launched the COVID-19 Alert App. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Ontario Premier made the announcement today.
“I am proud of the fact that this Ontario-made app will now be available to individuals, and families right across the country,,” Ford said. The app was created by employees of Shopify, and Blackberry.
“As we continue to gradually restart our economy, innovative technologies like this new app will help keep our families and communities healthy,” Trudeau added. The app is offered on a voluntary basis. Users who test positive for COVID-19 are given a one-time code by the their local health authorities. The app notifies other users if they have been exposed to COVID-19 over a 14-day period for about 15 mintues.
“Our digital response has been critical to overcoming the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Minister of Digital Government Joyce Murray said. The app doesn’t track data such as the users’ location or other personally identifiable information. It has undergone a security assessment by both BlackBerry and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.
It is now available for both Android phones, and iPhones. For more information on how to download visit this link.
