Colorado Launches Coronavirus Exposure Notification System
New COVID-19 exposure notification technology launched Sunday in Colorado. A notice was sent statewide to Android and Apple phones with instructions about how to opt into the system, officials said.
When Coloradans enable the service, their smartphones use Bluetooth technology to share anonymous tokens with other phones. If someone tests positive for the coronavirus and chooses to upload their results, people who are at risk of infection will receive an alert of potential exposure.
Tokens are not associated with any phone number, name, location or IP address, and they change every 15 minutes to add an extra layer of anonymity, officials said.
“We understand the importance of privacy and security and have taken extensive steps to ensure personal information is not collected, stored or transmitted through the use of CO Exposure Notifications," said Sarah Tuneberg, lead of Colorado’s Containment and Testing Team and the Colorado Exposure Notifications service.
"By adding your phone to the fight and increasing risk awareness and identification, you can help Colorado stop the spread of COVID-19.”
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Exposure notification systems are "critical" to preventing the spread of COVID-19, public health officials said.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment partnered with Apple and Google to launch the system.
“We must regain lost ground against this deadly virus, and we need every tool at our disposal to protect ourselves, our families, our communities, and our small businesses,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement released Sunday.
“It’s important for Coloradans to enable CO Exposure Notifications on your iPhone or Android to help save lives, to contain this deadly disease, protect your loved ones, and to use every technological advantage we have against the virus.”
>> Sign up for Colorado exposure notifications here.
This article originally appeared on the Denver Patch
