THE ALOHASAFE ALERT APP
The AlohaSafe Alert app was developed in partnership with the state Department of Health (DOH), aio Digital, Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative and Every1ne HawaiĘ»i, to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by notifying users if they have been potentially exposed to the virus.
This voluntary application is free and can be downloaded now from both the Apple and Google Play stores. Once downloaded, the app uses Bluetooth technology to anonymously communicate with other phones that have the application. The devices will “ping” one another, measuring the strength of the Bluetooth signal, distance of each device, and the duration of the contact. The more people who use the app, the safer and healthier we will make our community.
If an individual is diagnosed with COVID-19, they will receive a text message from the Department of Health with a verification code to input into the app. This code will anonymously notify other devices about their possible COVID-19 exposure. The notification will not disclose any personally identifying information such as where, how, or when they were exposed. To trigger a notification alert, devices must have been within 6 feet of each other for at least 15 minutes in the past 14 days. If someone receives a notification from AlohaSafe Alert that they may have been exposed to COVID-19, they are recommended to self-quarantine, and get tested.
According to the AlohaSafe website:
- Combined with other measures, if 15% of our community uses AlohaSafe Alert, we can reduce infections by 8% and deaths by 6%.
- 80% of all smartphone users (i.e. 56% of the overall population) would be enough to suppress the pandemic on its own without any other form of intervention.
For more information on the Aloha Safe Travels app, go to https://www.wearealohasafe.org.