With parental or guardian permission, Pennsylvanians ages 13 to 17 can now download the COVID Alert PA app.
“While the app has been available to Pennsylvanians 18 and older, we wanted to ensure more residents had access to these resources and can be notified if exposed to COVID-19,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine. “By expanding the age range, we can hopefully increase the number of individuals who download the app, increasing its effectiveness to help control the spread of this dangerous virus, especially in school settings. I encourage everyone to download COVID Alert PA and answer the call to wash your hands, social distance, and wear a mask so we can unite together against COVID-19.”
“The Pennsylvania Department of Education is issuing a call to action to all youth in our commonwealth. We urge you to download the free COVID Alert PA app to help slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega. “Help keep yourself, your families, and your communities safe by utilizing your phone in the fight against the spread of this disease.”
COVID Alert PA is a free and voluntary mobile app developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health in partnership with NearForm, University of Pennsylvania and MIT Lincoln Laboratory using Apple and Google’s Exposure Notification System. The app’s features include an interactive COVID-19 symptom check-in, alerts for potential exposures to the virus, updates on the latest public health data about COVID-19 in PA and public health guidance for what to do if you have a potential exposure to COVID-19.
In a new update, the Department of Health will share further data resources on the app to provide the most up-to-date COVID-19 county case counts and hospitalizations. The update will also include an information hub, where residents learn more about contact tracing, app compatibility with other states, and where to find a testing location and other assistance and benefits.
If you download the app and test positive for COVID-19, you can enter a unique six-digit code given to you by a case investigator. This will allow individuals you may have encountered in proximity and who have the app to know they have been exposed to COVID-19. They can then take steps to protect themselves and others, such as getting tested or quarantining.
The app is designed to ensure privacy of the user. It does not use GPS, location services or any movement or geographical information. It will never collect, transmit or store personal information, and is completely anonymous.
COVID Alert PA can be found in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
