A new app called Healthy Together launched on Wednesday. Gov. Gary Herbert and State Epidemiologist Angela Dunn said during the daily media briefing that use of this app will be optional and will play an important roll in tracing the spread of the virus throughout the state.
Utahns who choose to download the app will be able to do daily health checks to see whether or they should be tested for the virus. They will also be able to schedule a time to be tested from the app if needed. Users can allow the app to track their location if they choose, and if users later test positive for the virus, they can choose to share their data with public health workers. This data will allow public health workers to more effectively inform people if they were in close contact with a person who tested positive and need to be tested.
Herbert said he knows there will always be people who are uncomfortable with sharing their data which is why app use is voluntary. He and Dunn said the app will not require a certain threshold of users to be useful to the state and that even if just one person downloaded it, this action would make contact tracing easier. The app sends survey information back to Utah Department of Health, just like the testutah.com survey does and Dunn said the two data collection tools work together.
The full media briefing can be watched here.
