Daily COVID-19 Update - June 18, 2020
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Voluntary National Contact Tracing App
A new Bluetooth-based COVID-19 contact tracing app developed in Canada is set to be rolled out for testing in Ontario next month, provincial officials said today.
The app, called COVID Alert, was built using open-source code by the Ontario Digital Service, in conjunction with a volunteer team from Ottawa-based Shopify. A separate volunteer team at Blackberry helped with a security audit of the technology, provincial officials said at a technical briefing for the media today.
The app doesn't store or share any personal or medical information or GPS-location data, but rather uses randomly generated, anonymous codes and Bluetooth signals between phones that also have the app downloaded to keep track of the proximity and duration of a certain contact.
A user will receive a notification on their smartphone screen if they have had prolonged, close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and also uses the app. It then provides public health advice and what steps anyone who has been exposed can take.
The app, which will be available for download on a volunteer basis, is meant to supplement contact tracing efforts already in place by public health authorities.
Ontario Extends Emergency Orders
The Ontario government has extended all emergency orders currently in force under s.7.0.2 (4) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. This extension will be in effect until June 30, 2020 to ensure the government continues to have the necessary tools to safely and gradually reopen the province, while continuing to support frontline health care workers and protect vulnerable populations from COVID-19.
While current emergency orders will remain in place until the end of the month, the government will continue to review each one on an ongoing, case-by-case basis to determine when and if they can safely be adjusted or lifted, as part of the province's framework to safely reopen the province.