North Dakota, Wyoming and Alabama Launching Exposure Notification Apps Soon

[MacRumors]

North Dakota, Wyoming, and Alabama are all launching contact tracing apps that take advantage of Apple and Google's Exposure Notification API to cut down on the spread of the coronavirus, reports Reuters.

North Dakota's app, Care19 Alert, is launching today, while Wyoming plans to launch an app on Friday. Alabama's app, which has been in testing with university students and staff, will market its app statewide starting on Monday.

Virginia earlier in August became the first U.S. state to debut an app that uses the Exposure Notification API when it launched COVIDWISE. Virginia state department health official Jeff Stover told Reuters that 316,000 people have downloaded the app so far.

Washington and Pennsylvania are two other states that are expected to launch contact tracing apps that use the Exposure Notification API in the coming weeks. Right now, many of these apps are not designed to work across state lines, with North Dakota's app being the first in the U.S. to support the functionality.

The apps are designed to limit the spread of the coronavirus by using Bluetooth to track who people come into contact with. The idea is that when a person comes down with COVID-19, an alert can be sent out to everyone they were around so those people can quarantine and watch out for symptoms.

Multiple countries, including Switzerland, Latvia, Italy, Germany, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Croatia, Denmark, and Canada have also launched apps that use the Exposure Notification API.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: North Dakota, Wyoming and Alabama Launching Exposure Notification Apps Soon

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Good news here! nice

 

[DocMultimedia]

I really wish there would be a standard one for the country. I hate to say it, but people do travel between states. Oh well, at least I have the Virginia one. So far I haven't been exposed to a known case.

 

[jpn]

I really wish there would be a standard one for the country. I hate to say it, but people do travel between states. Oh well, at least I have the Virginia one. So far I haven't been exposed to a known case.

yes.this.
a federal level provided app would be incredibly useful.

but the good news is that with the latest revisions to the google/apple api itself that google and apple have made to it recently, there is available the option for the individual level health agencies at state level (and internationally among countries) to share results.
so yr own state can opt in for sharing its data with other states if there is enough pressure put on the state's health officials to do it.

 

[nutmac]

This article is tagged as political, which is sad. Health should be of universal concern. The app should also be implemented at the federal level, so that people who live near the border don't have to deal with multiple apps.

Speaking of political, it's worth noting that solid blue states have yet to release exposure notification apps, further adding to my frustration.

 

[nate13]

Proud North Dakotan here, great to see our state innovating ahead of much larger states. And for the concern of sharing data, we’re already registered with the inter-state sharing program.

 

[Macaholic868]

We’re the United States of America and we’re being run like a third world country. State apps are like gun control laws. They don’t work well unless they are uniform across all states since we’re all free to cross state lines whenever we want.

Where’s the app from the federal government developed with input from the states? We don’t have one. Trump is apparently too busy doing who knows what to give the order for the CDC, the NIH or both to work together to do even basic things like this. That’s not a political statement, that’s a fact. What a disaster...

 

[Treq]

This article is tagged as political, which is sad. Health should be of universal concern. The app should also be implemented at the federal level, so that people who live near the border don't have to deal with multiple apps.

Speaking of political, it's worth noting that solid blue states have yet to release exposure notification apps, further adding to my frustration.

Well, like you said, it should be implemented on a national level. As a matter of fact since apple and google worked on it together, they should just push it to every phone with the next update. Give the paranoid people who don't understand how it works an option to opt-out and be done with it. This allowing the states to manage the pandemic on their own idea is just stupid, and doesn't work with a global threat.

 

[nutmac]

Well, like you said, it should be implemented on a national level. As a matter of fact since apple and google worked on it together, they should just push it to every phone with the next update. Give the paranoid people who don't understand how it works an option to opt-out and be done with it. This allowing the states to manage the pandemic on their own idea is just stupid, and doesn't work with a global threat.

I think the data comes from each state's health agency, which is probably why the app isn't implemented at the federal level.

But you are right. The app should be written by Apple and Google, with the data connector requiring each state's certification and cooperation.

 

[4jasontv]

I smiled at the idea of people in Wyoming being within 6 feet of each other. I don't think I have ever met a group of people more proud of their rural country roots.

 

[nattK]

Funny how California isn't one of the first few states to introduce a contact tracing app with API. You would think that Apple and Google would have at least gotten their own home state to be onboard with the exposure notification API.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

This article is tagged as political, which is sad. Health should be of universal concern. The app should also be implemented at the federal level, so that people who live near the border don't have to deal with multiple apps.

Speaking of political, it's worth noting that solid blue states have yet to release exposure notification apps, further adding to my frustration.

It's political because governments are overtly wanting to have your location and interactions tracked and monitored. And some people, for whatever dumb reason, are wanting to comply with obedience.

And a perfect case in point:

Well, like you said, it should be implemented on a national level. As a matter of fact since apple and google worked on it together, they should just push it to every phone with the next update. Give the paranoid people who don't understand how it works an option to opt-out and be done with it. This allowing the states to manage the pandemic on their own idea is just stupid, and doesn't work with a global threat.

Get the camel's nose under the tent, then just do whatever you want.

 

[SeattleMoose]

Slippery slope if you are ever deemed an "enemy of the state"....for whatever reason.
You stood next to so and so and now you have to be tested.
But I wasn't even at that location on that date..
Doesn't matter, our records are infallible. you WILL be escorted to the testing facility.
Surprise!!! You have it!!!
Now you have to be quarantined in a FEMA camp.
And eventually you will have to be injected with the vaccine.
Oh did you just volunteer to be a test subject?
No!!!
Take him away!!!

 

[Treq]

I think the data comes from each state's health agency, which is probably why the app isn't implemented at the federal level.

But you are right. The app should be written by Apple and Google, with the data connector requiring each state's certification and cooperation.

I don't think the each state should be involved, only receive the data from the contact tracing. Different states will try to put different requirements or lack there of on the app. This whole thing should be handled at the federal level with consistent rules, data collection, and management. Thats one of the main problems with how badly the administration had fouled up the response to the pandemic. They don't want to take responsibility for anything so they lay it on the states, when it should have central management.

 

[jpn]

Slippery slope if you are ever deemed an "enemy of the state"....for whatever reason.
You stood next to so and so and now you have to be tested.
But I wasn't even at that location on that date..
Doesn't matter, our records are infallible. you WILL be escorted to the testing facility.
Surprise!!! You have it!!!
Now you have to be quarantined in a FEMA camp.
And eventually you will have to be injected with the vaccine.
Oh did you just volunteer to be a test subject?
No!!!
Take him away!!!

a very Wooden response, worthy of Václav Havel himself.

Congratulations. Your post is my favourite MacRumors Post of the Day.

 

[Treq]

It's political because governments are overtly wanting to have your location and interactions tracked and monitored. And some people, for whatever dumb reason, are wanting to comply with obedience.

And a perfect case in point:



Get the camel's nose under the tent, then just do whatever you want.

I have a feeling you don't understand how this contact tracing works. There is no GPS involved. Your contacts are tracked by your phone sending out a code via bluetooth. that code is picked up by other phones within a small radius of you and stored there. Your phone is also picking up codes from other phones at the same time and storing those codes. All the codes are anonymous. No user data is attached and all codes are stored locally on the phones. Once someone who has the app tests positive, only then does that person inform the app and the codes it has stored from the last two weeks are then uploaded to a server. Meanwhile all the apps on the other phones check that server regularly for the codes it has been transmitting. If it finds one of it's codes it informs the user. It is completely anonymous. Also completely voluntary.

 

[Treq]

Slippery slope if you are ever deemed an "enemy of the state"....for whatever reason.
You stood next to so and so and now you have to be tested.
But I wasn't even at that location on that date..
Doesn't matter, our records are infallible. you WILL be escorted to the testing facility.
Surprise!!! You have it!!!
Now you have to be quarantined in a FEMA camp.
And eventually you will have to be injected with the vaccine.
Oh did you just volunteer to be a test subject?
No!!!
Take him away!!!

Seriously insane paranoid uninformed post. If it is satire, well done. If not, get help.

 

[Mr. Heckles]

I downloaded the Virginia app since it doesn't ask me for a region, since I don't live there. i wish there was a national one.

 

[SeattleMoose]

Seriously insane paranoid uninformed post. If it is satire, well done. If not, get help.

Thank you Dr. Fauci...but you have already given me all the "help" I can handle.

 

[Chaos215bar2]

Slippery slope if you are ever deemed an "enemy of the state"....for whatever reason.
You stood next to so and so and now you have to be tested.
But I wasn't even at that location on that date..
Doesn't matter, our records are infallible. you WILL be escorted to the testing facility.
Surprise!!! You have it!!!
Now you have to be quarantined in a FEMA camp.
And eventually you will have to be injected with the vaccine.
Oh did you just volunteer to be a test subject?
No!!!
Take him away!!!

0_o

 

[Treq]

I downloaded the Virginia app since it doesn't ask me for a region, since I don't live there. i wish there was a national one.

The whole thing should have been national, but our executive branch is incompetent and wants to divorce itself from responsibility. So they left it to the states to handle. Now we have a mish mash of different guidelines and reporting. It's been a mess from day one.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

I have a feeling you don't understand how this contact tracing works. There is no GPS involved. Your contacts are tracked by your phone sending out a code via bluetooth. that code is picked up by other phones within a small radius of you and stored there. Your phone is also picking up codes from other phones at the same time and storing those codes. All the codes are anonymous. No user data is attached and all codes are stored locally on the phones. Once someone who has the app tests positive, only then does that person inform the app and the codes it has stored from the last two weeks are then uploaded to a server. Meanwhile all the apps on the other phones check that server regularly for the codes it has been transmitting. If it finds one of it's codes it informs the user. It is completely anonymous. Also completely voluntary.

No.

The whole thing should have been national, but our executive branch is incompetent and wants to divorce itself from responsibility. So they left it to the states to handle. Now we have a mish mash of different guidelines and reporting. It's been a mess from day one.

Good. Enough with this ******** yearning and zeal for centralized tracking of citizens.

 

[Treq]

No.



Good. Enough with this ******** yearning and zeal for centralized tracking of citizens.

First: Yes. A simple google search would able to get you that information. Hell I think they did a story about it here in this very site.

Second, No one is talking about centralized tracking. As I stated in my above post the tracing is completely decentralized and anonymous. The app should be pushed to every phone though and the paranoid people who don't understand how tracing works given a way to opt out. Centralized management of a pandemic is the only way to accomplish the desired results. You seem to be confused about the difference between decentralized anonymous tracking and centralized management and consistent guidelines. If you decentralize the management you get conflicting guidelines and confused citizens. If you centralize tracking there is the potential for abuse. That's why a central management and decentralized anonymous tracing is the optimal way to manage this pandemic. Are we clear now. Or you still fuzzy on the whole good - bad thing?

Finally, Just an FYI, if the government wanted to track you with a phone, they don't need this app to do it. They already can.

 

[CarlJ]

It's political because governments are overtly wanting to have your location and interactions tracked and monitored. And some people, for whatever dumb reason, are wanting to comply with obedience.

Go read the damn spec. And tell all of us how the information that is actually collected could possibly be abused.

Carrying your phone around right now, today, with it constantly checking in with the nearest cell towers, is already giving any government agency that’s sufficiently motivated to care about your whereabouts, all the location and interaction tracking/monitoring information they could possibly want, right now. If you want to prevent this, your only alternative right now, is to get rid of your cellphone.

Trump is apparently too busy doing who knows what to give the order for the CDC, the NIH or both to work together to do even basic things like this.

He’s too busy trying to break the election, trying to damage voting by mail (even though that’s how he and his family vote and there’s no evidence of the widespread fraud he keeps claiming, despite several states already being 100% vote by mail), going beyond the Republican party’s usual efforts at voter suppression, because he feels this is the only way he has a chance at winning the election.

 

[CarlJ]

Slippery slope if you are ever deemed an "enemy of the state"....for whatever reason.
You stood next to so and so and now you have to be tested.
But I wasn't even at that location on that date..
Doesn't matter, our records are infallible. you WILL be escorted to the testing facility.
Surprise!!! You have it!!!
Now you have to be quarantined in a FEMA camp.
And eventually you will have to be injected with the vaccine.
Oh did you just volunteer to be a test subject?
No!!!
Take him away!!!

The Exposure Notification gives them absolutely no information about who you stood next to. Your entire paranoid scenario breaks down after that. Go read the damn spec. Stop spreading paranoia. And stop watching Fox News, it’s like the eating lead paint of the last 20 years.