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New App Tracks Michigan Covid Cases

(CBS DETROIT) – If you want to keep up with coronavirus contact tracing in Michigan, there's an app for that.

The MI Covid Alert App is making it easier for people to know if it's time to get tested or quarantine.

Knowing your exposure to the virus could be just one alert away.

"If you are someone who hasn't tested positive and you receive a notification what you will see is something that says, 'you may have been exposed to covid-19 one day ago or five days ago,'" said MDHHS Spokesperson Kirsten Simmons.

The app is designed to slow the spread of Covid-19. It lets you know if you've been exposed to another app user who tested positive and it helps to anonymously warned others if you've contracted the disease.

"If you do test positive for Covid-19 you will receive a pin from your local health department or from the state of Michigan. So once you test positive and they reach out to you they'll provide that pin to you. That is the way you submit the positive test result. That's an anonymous pin and it's something that when you put it into the system it then alerts and looks back in time to alert anyone who you may have been in close contact with," she said.

Since Covid-19 cases are up in the state – the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is using the mobile technology to expand contact tracing data.

"We're just at a really critical point in the pandemic where we need to make sure everyone is continuing to do their part. We need citizens to make sure they are doing everything in their power to stay safe, to stop the spread, slow the spread of this virus," said Simmons.

The MI Covid App is free and available to Apple and Android users.

Officials say the app will never ask for your name, age or address.

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