Washington state unveiled a new app to inform residents if they’ve been exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID-19, as infection rates in the state soar to an average of 2,700 cases a day.
WA Notify, announced Monday morning, is a free app that uses technology developed through a joint effort by Apple and Google called the Exposure Notification System. The app takes advantage of low-energy Bluetooth signals emitted by smartphones to detect and remember interactions, allowing people to be notified if they’ve been in proximity to someone who later tests positive for COVID. It does not collect any personal information to identify app users or track their movements.
