NORTH CAROLINA – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has launched a new app aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 Exposure Notification app called 'SlowCOVIDNC' was made available for download on Tuesday.

Utilizing the Google and Apple Exposure Notification System, NCDHHS says users who download the app will be alerted when they have been exposed to someone who has or does test positive for coronavirus.

“With SlowCOVIDNC App, North Carolinians have another powerful tool to help slow the spread of COVID-19 right in their pockets. Downloading SlowCOVIDNC is a practical step each of us can take to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our state,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D.

Here’s how SlowCOVIDNC will work:

  1. Download the free SlowCOVIDNC Exposure Notification app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enable Bluetooth and Exposure Notifications. Bluetooth must be on for the app to work.
  2. After opting-in to receive notifications, the app will generate an anonymous token for the device. A token is a string of random letters which changes every 10-20 minutes and is never linked to identity or location. This protects app user privacy and security. 
  3. Through Bluetooth, phones with the SlowCOVIDNC app work in the background (minimizing battery) to exchange these anonymous tokens every few minutes. Phones record how long they are near each other and the Bluetooth signal strength of their exchanges in order to estimate distance.
  4. If an app user tests positive for COVID-19, the individual may obtain a unique PIN to submit in the app. This voluntary and anonymous reporting notifies others who have downloaded the app that they may have been in close contact with someone in the last 14 days who has tested positive.
  5. PINs will be provided to app users who receive a positive COVID-19 test result by contacting the Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) call center, through a web-based portal, or by contacting their Local Health Department (LHD). 
  6. SlowCOVIDNC periodically downloads tokens from the server from the devices of users who have anonymously reported a positive test. Phones then use records of the signal strength and duration of exposures with those tokens to calculate risk and determine if an app user has met a threshold to receive an Exposure Notification. 

The app is completely anonymous, according to a release, and will not collect, store, or share any personal information or location data. The app is completely voluntary and is designed to enhance the state's existing contact tracing efforts.

“The SlowCOVIDNC app builds on our ongoing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 across the state. By proactively notifying app users of potential exposure to the virus, people can act quickly to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities,” Sam Gibbs, NCDHHS Deputy Secretary of Technology and Operations said in a statement.

The app is currently available to download for free in the Apple App Store or Google Play.