Alabama developing coronavirus contact tracing app

Alabama developing coronavirus contact tracing app

400 cases.

Today- waay 31 learned more about the contact tracing app governor kay ivey said alabama is going to start using.

We discovered it could be months before it's ready!

The health department said privacy concerns are an issue.

People would need to opt-in and enter their information.

The app would need permission to access your bluetooth on your phone to work.

And people who test positive for coronavirus would have to upload their info to the app.

Waay 31's sydney martin is live at huntsville city hall this afternoon.

She learned more form the alabaam department of public health.

Najahe- less than a day after the govenror's announcement- dr karen landers told me there's simply not a lot of information about how it would work.

Beyond it using your phone's bluetooth.

Dr. karen landers, the alabama department of public health "it is very early.

Hope to have more information on that next week."

Dr karen landers with the alabama department didn't have many answers about how the contact tracing app powered by google and apple would work or even when it will launch.

Currently, there are about 130 contact tracers in alabama.

They rely on phone calls and people's memory.

Tracing via bluetooth is expected to be more reliable but also creates privacy concerns.

But landers was adamant anyone who participates would not know who or where they were exposed-- just that they were and should quarantine.

Dr. karen landers, the alabama department of public health "a person that has been exposed did not know the original contact.

That information would be protected."

Landers expects for the state to have more info on the app next week.

She said contact tracing is currently only done by department of public health workers- and despite an app that's being developed they're also looking at training people in the medical profession and students to help them continue the current method.

Live in huntsville sm waay 31 news.

Here's how the contact tracing app would work... your phone exchanges random bluetooth identifiers or keys with other phones nearby.

If someone tested positive for coronavirus, they can input that information into the app from the public health authority.

With the person's consent, the keys for the last 14 days are uploaded to the app's server.

With the app, your phone will periodically look through the server to see if your keys matches those that are in the server.

If it does, you will get a notification with information on what to do next.

At this time, the alabama department of health has not released the app.

You can choose to turn off coronavirus exposure logging on your phone.

It will be under your privacy settings.