Thought of the Day - September 28 - COVID Alert App

Back in July I talked a little about a contact tracing apps, or lack thereof in Canada (Thought of the Day - July 17 - Contact Tracing App ). From time to time I check back in so I was excited to see at the beginning of September Health Canada's COVID Alert App was now available for Android and IOS devices. COVID Alert is Canada's free exposure notification app ( https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/covid-alert.html ).

While not a panacea, I envisaged it to be a tool that would encompass the current simplistic links to static information, and symptom decision tree tools (in most of Canada this is supplied by Thrive Health https://ca.thrive.health/ ). Provided privacy concerns were addressed, the app could also start to step us away from businesses needing to record patron's names and numbers on bits of paper. And, most importantly, if you have come in contact with the following it would provide:

• alerts when in the proximity people who have tested positive;

• warnings when in the proximity of those who have the symptoms and are currently seeking test results;

• notification of hot zones or nearby locations that are on the Public Health Alerts list ( Thought of the Day - July 3 - Public Service Announcement ).

Moreover, as the Provinces were told to wait for a Federal solution that this would be a Canada-wide tool.

So what did I actually find:

1. The app started a pilot phase in Ontario at the end of July with Newfoundland & Labrador signing on at the beginning of September;

2. It is now freely available in both English and French in the Google Play or Apple store, but only if you have a recent OS device;

3. There have been over 2.5 millions downloads so far;

4. The app does have links to the Provincial diagnostic site if you say you have symptoms;

5. If you are tested positive you can choose to enter a supplied code into the app (about 150 people have done so so far);

6. The app only alerts if you are in close proximity (based on Bluetooth signal strength) for 15 minutes with a person who has entered the code provided;

7. The app does not trigger if you enter (proximity or QR code) or have been to a high risk establishment;

8. The app is ONLY functional in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario and Saskatchewan (if there is anyone from there using it please let me know your thoughts). Elsewhere there are no codes provided to someone who has tested positive. So unless you are planning on travelling to or around one of these provinces, all the app does at present is use up resources on your phone. I have not found any information as to when roll outs are contemplated for other provinces - ironic as Alberta was one of the first to introduce such an app; ABTraceTogether is still on the Apps stores (and does not need the latest IOS).

At long last Health Canada has finally done their part, I certainly hope we will hear more soon from the rest of the Provinces.

Cheers

Cliff