We have all helped to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Ireland over recent months as part of this effort, the HSE has made a free smartphone App that helps improve contact tracing for COVID-19.
The COVID Tracker app is now available on covidtracker.ie, and can help make contact tracing faster and more accurate, reducing the spread of coronavirus.
People who use the app can:
Get an alert if they have been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19
Alert others if they test positive for coronavirus – this will help keep other people safe
Track symptoms and get advice on what to do if they’re sick
Get regular updates, and protect themselves and others as we learn to live with COVID-19
How will the app protect privacy?
The app exchanges secure, anonymous records when people using the app are in close contact with each other. The app will never identify app users and they cannot access each other’s information.
The app does not collect names, location or movements. Records are collected anonymously and stored on your mobile phone.
If a person tests positive for COVID-19, they can choose to upload records to anonymously alert their close contacts.
Users can choose to put their mobile phone number into the app. The contact tracing team will call them, if they receive a close contact alert, to give advice and arrange a test, if needed.
If people use the COVID Check-In function to record any symptoms, they can anonymously share their town or county, age group and sex, to help the HSE understand the spread of COVID-19 in Ireland.
Can health care workers use the app? 
Yes you can. If you use the app on your work phone, you may need to connect to Wi-Fi to first download the app.
If you are a health care worker and you receive a close contact alert, you should request a call back from the contact tracing team and get more advice on what to do.
We will learn more about how the app works in different settings over the coming weeks and may issue guidance for specific groups of health care workers.
Information for GPs
A key function of the app is to speed up the contact tracing process. App users can choose to record their mobile phone number in the app. This enables the contact tracing team to call them to organise testing, if appropriate. On receipt of a close contact alert, a user could also decide instead to contact their GP. It is important that GPs are aware that they may receive these genuine calls. You can provide appropriate support like you do for other concerned patients who are close contacts of someone with COVID-19.
The more people who download and use the app, the more effective it will be to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. For more information, go to covidtracker.ie
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