EASTON, Pa. (WLVT-TV) — Pennsylvania’s “COVID Alert” app, which pings users if they're near someone who tested positive for coronavirus, just got an update.
Acting state Department of Health secretary Alison Beam says the free app will now connect users with vaccine information, like where to find vaccine providers in their zip code.
Within the first 24-hours of its release, the app saw promising returns and was downloaded over 50,000 times. Today, it has just over 800,000 users.
Joann Ordille, a Lafayette College computer science professor, says there hasn’t been enough adoption for the app to be highly effective.
"Right now, we’re at about six percent of the population of the state," Ordille told PBS39. "So, if you think about the likelihood that a person you encounter who has COVID is also on this app, it’s pretty low."
Still, Ordille says app features like a symptom tracker, county-by-county case numbers, and a portal that connects users to contact tracers are useful. Users are also kept anonymous.
"No one is identified in the system, so I think it achieves the kinds of privacy protections that we strive for in socially responsible computing," said Ordille, whose research work examines the intersection of technology and public good.
It’s why she’s rooting for the app to gain more traction, which is something the health department is working on.
The agency recently added upgrades that allow users to search for nearby vaccination clinics. Plus, the app now connects users with Pennsylvania’s “Your Turn” web portal, which tells users when it’s their turn to get vaccinated.
Users can also set an in-app “reminder” about receiving their second dose.
Lindsey Mauldin, the health department’s senior advisor for COVID-19 response, says the department’s goal is to reach 1.5-million users over the next few months.
"The app is able to provide people with statistics on the COVID-19 virus in their area, and now they’re able to be connected with resources to find out where they might fit in vaccine distribution," Mauldin told PBS39. "This is a great step in modernizing our public health infrastructure."
The state allocated $2-million in federal grant money for the app, which is being spread out over a three year period.
Ordille says she’d like to see the app used beyond COVID-19.
"It might be useful in the future for things like the flu or other diseases where we need to do tracking," said Ordille. "If you could get enough adoption, it would actually be quite beneficial."
People without internet access who have questions about the vaccine process can call 877-PA-HEALTH.