Health officials urge the public to download a local app that was developed to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. AlohaSafe Alert is a free exposure notification app approved by the state of Hawai‘i.
To download the free app, go to the Google Play or Apple App Store on your phone. For more information, visit https://www.alohasafealert.org/.
“Masks, distance and vaccines are all valuable tools against COVID-19. The AlohaSafe Alert app is another important tool in the fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. Libby Char, director of the Hawai‘i State Department of Health. “This innovative app was developed for the community, by the community, and it has the potential to greatly increase the speed of the exposure notification process, allowing anyone who receives an alert to quickly self-quarantine and get tested if needed.”
AlohaSafe Alert was first piloted on Lāna‘i and in Hāna on Nov. 17, and expanded to Maui County on Dec. 16. The app has been downloaded more than 14,000 times.
“When Lāna‘i experienced a surge in COVID cases, AlohaSafe Alert was critical in helping us to control the spread,” said Mayor Michael Victorino of Maui County. “Maui County strongly believes these types of technological advances can help us get the upper hand in the fight against COVID-19. We were pleased to pilot the app in our county, and hope other communities throughout the state utilize this tool to protect all of our residents.”
Hawai‘i joins 17 other states and 19 countries in authorizing the Google/Apple Exposure Notification (GAEN) system that uses Bluetooth technology to measure the closeness and duration of signals between enrolled smartphones. AlohaSafe Alert will anonymously and privately send notifications within 48 hours if an app user comes into close contact — within six feet for at least 15 minutes — with an individual who tested positive for the virus in the past 14 days.
Preliminary results and learnings from other states and countries show that, coupled with other measures, if only 15 percent of the population were to use AlohaSafe Alert, COVID-19 infections could be reduced by eight percent and deaths by six percent.
Other key features of AlohaSafe Alert include:
- Participants may opt in/out at any time;
- The app allows smartphones to interact and exchange anonymous codes that are frequently changed, but it does not keep track of any geo-location or GPS data;
- Only DOH authorities will have access to data, and all data will be kept anonymous;
- Should you test positive for COVID-19, your identity is kept private from anyone who receives an alert, and their identities are kept private from you;
- AlohaSafe Alert is interoperable with other similar official notification apps in other states and those apps can also be used by visitors to Hawaiʻi.
The app was developed by local firm aio Digital, funded by DOH and The Omidyar Group, and supported by a public-private partnership with the Hawaii Executive Collaborative, Every1ne Hawaii, and the state of Hawaiʻi.
To download the free app, go to the Google Play or Apple App Store on your phone. For more information, visit https://www.alohasafealert.org/.