HARRISBURG (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - Pennsylvania’s Health Department will introduce a new phone app in September to help contact tracers alert COVID-19 close contacts, but there are security questions.
The app is called COVID Alert PA. Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine says it will alert users if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.
“It does not really track your travels, but instead uses the same technology that our phones use to communicate with one another,” said Levine.
Dr. Levine says the system works better if more people have the app.
The health department will run a marketing campaign to answer security concerns.
It uses Apple and Google technology, was developed at Penn and MIT and will be operated by a company called Near Form
This app will help us be able to, those individuals to know that actually they were within 6 feet for 15 minutes and they are considered a close contact and they should quarantine.
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