WhidbeyHealth is working with Island County Department of Health and the Washington State Department of Health to help slow the spread of COVID-19 across our community, island, county, and state. We’re continually looking for opportunities to work with public health agencies to benefit our Whidbey Island community and beyond.
Today, we are excited to share that there is something new that everyone can do to help stop the spread. Washington State launched WA Exposure Notifications (WA Notify). It uses smartphones to alert users if they may have been exposed to COVID-19. It is completely private, and doesn’t know or track who you are or where you go.
How does it work?
When you enable WA Notify, your smartphone exchanges random, anonymous codes with the phones of people you are near who have also enabled WA Notify. The app uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to exchange these random codes without revealing any information about you. If another WA Notify user you’ve been near in the last two weeks, later tests positive for COVID-19 and adds their verification code to the app, you’ll get an anonymous notification that you’ve had a possible exposure. This lets you get the care you need quickly and helps prevent you from spreading COVID-19 to the people around you.
How to I get WA Notify on my phone?
On an iPhone, enable Exposure Notifications in Settings:
- Go to Settings
- Scroll down to Exposure Notifications
- Click “Turn On Exposure Notifications”
- Select: United States
- Select: Washington
On an Android phone:
- Go to the Google Play Store
- Download the Washington Exposure Notifications app
For more information about Washington Exposure Notifications please visit: WANotify.org
Thank you for doing your part to keep yourself, your friends, your loved ones, and our community safe.