Sign Up for COVID Contact Tracing
On September 22, 2020, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced the launch of a COVID-19 Exposure Notification app called SlowCOVIDNC.
On October 9, the editor of the Ocracoke Current downloaded it. The more people who use it, the more effective it will be! If you are an NC resident, please do it! It's even easier than wearing a mask, which, as we all know, is VERY EASY.
Worried about being stalked by the government? LOL! Your phone is already trackable... This app is less invasive than social media! And it can save lives. If I get a notification, I will let you all know.
The app will help North Carolinians slow the spread of the virus by alerting them when they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. It is completely anonymous and does not collect, store or share personal information or location data. The more people that use the app, the better it works.
SlowCOVIDNC leverages Google and Apple’s Exposure Notification System (ENS) to alert users who have the app if they have been in close contact with an individual who later tests positive for COVID-19. It is voluntary to download and use and designed to enhance the state’s existing contact tracing efforts. The app completed Beta testing earlier this month and can now be downloaded for free through the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. The app is available in English and Spanish.
Here is a brief overview of how the app works:
After opting-in to receive notifications, the app will generate an anonymous token for the device. A token is a string of random letters and numbers which changes every 10-20 minutes and is never linked to identity or location. This protects app user privacy and security.
Through Bluetooth, phones with the SlowCOVIDNC app work in the background (minimizing battery) to exchange these anonymous tokens every few minutes. Phones record how long they are near each other and the Bluetooth signal strength of their exchanges in order to estimate distance.
If an app user tests positive for COVID-19, the individual may obtain a unique PIN to submit in the app. This voluntary and anonymous reporting notifies others who have downloaded the app that they may have been in close contact with someone in the last 14 days who has tested positive. PINs will be provided to app users who receive a positive COVID-19 test result through a web-based PIN Portal, by contacting the Community Care of North Carolina call center, or by contacting their Local Health Department.
For more details on SlowCOVIDNC and instructions on how to download, install, and use the app, visit https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/slowcovidnc which also includes an FAQ.
