Virginia recently launched COVIDWISE, a free notification app that alerts users if they have been in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. Virginia is the first state to design a COVID-19-exposure app, which the health department developed using funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The app does not rely on personal information or location data. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology developed by Apple and Google, as do COVID-19 exposure apps in use in other countries, including Ireland and Germany. (Virginia news release, 8/5/20)
