GuideSafe v1.3

Utilize the GuideSafe™ Exposure Notification app to anonymously share a positive COVID-19 test result and receive anonymous notifications of possible exposure to individuals who subsequently report a positive COVID-19 test result, all while maintaining privacy by not sharing any identities. The application provides a safeguard for your privacy by empowering you to protect your health, that of your family, and your community.

Using the app is a straightforward process:

1. Download the GuideSafe™ Exposure Notification app and enable Bluetooth.
2. If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you can opt to report it. Your test results will be confirmed by the Alabama Department of Public Health.
3. Individuals who may have had close contact with you in the last 14 days will be alerted that they were in proximity to someone with a positive test result. However, their identities and locations will remain entirely anonymous, and their personal information will not be disclosed under any circumstances.

Why it is crucial:

Halting the spread of COVID-19 is critical for facilitating the reopening and sustainable operation of our communities, schools, and businesses. While contact tracers from the Alabama Department of Public Health assist in notifying those who were in contact with a COVID-19 positive individual, they might not identify everyone's close contacts. The broader the adoption of the app, the more effective the notifications to those exposed will be.

How it operates:

When you are in close proximity to others (approximately six feet apart), phones utilizing the GuideSafe™ Exposure Notification app exchange encrypted, anonymous codes via low-energy Bluetooth. If you receive a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, individuals with whom you had close contact (defined as within six feet for at least 15 minutes over the past 14 days) will receive an anonymous notification of potential exposure. This notification remains completely anonymous, as recipients are unaware of who tested positive, the specific time or location; only the date of possible exposure is provided.

Your privacy comes first:

The GuideSafe™ Exposure Notification app was developed by the Alabama Department of Public Health in partnership with the University of Alabama at Birmingham and MotionMobs, incorporating technology from a joint initiative between Apple and Google. Users of the app exchange anonymous codes via Bluetooth on their phones – no location data is ever retained or shared, and individual personal information is never revealed.