Contact trace app launched
Citizens State Bank, with branches in Cadott and Cornell, was able to provide a $15,000 Targeted Impact Fund Grant Nov. 19, to LE Phillips Career Development Center – Chippewa Outreach Office (LECDC), through the Federal Home Loan Bank-Chicago (FHLB). To qualify for the grant, partner banks had to submit a request for funds for selected recipients that met specifi ed criteria. The LECDC specializes in homelessness prevention and programs, and has created unique ways to address the COVID-19 crisis locally, coming highly recommended by the bank’s community partners. Present for the donation, were Jennifer Barrett, LECDC (left), and Citizens State Bank president/CEO Tim Cruciani.
WI Exposure Notification, a new mobile app to assist in notifying contacts of people who’ve tested positive for COVID- 19, is now live. The voluntary app complements the state’s and partner agencies’ efforts in contact tracing, by letting Wisconsinites know faster if they’ve been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, allowing them to take steps to keep themselves and those around them safe.
“WI Exposure Notification is another tool in our toolbox for helping stop the spread across Wisconsin,” said Gov. Tony Evers. “This app is completely voluntary, but the more people who use it, the more effective it will be. Now that we have a vaccine, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, folks, but we’re not in the clear just yet – we still need everyone to do their part to help fight this virus.”
iPhone and Android users will receive notifications on their phones, providing instructions for downloading or enabling the app.
The app does not use, collect or store any GPS data, or personal details. Instead, it uses Bluetooth technology to anonymously share Bluetooth signals with other smartphones, using the app nearby. Wisconsinites who use the app will receive a text message if they test positive for COVID- 19, asking if they want to notify other people who were in their close proximity for at least 15 minutes (as tracked by their phone), that they have been exposed to COVID-19.
By following the instructions from the text message, the person who tested positive, anonymously notifies others of possible exposure. For the app to work properly, Bluetooth must be enabled on the device, and the WI Exposure Notifi cation app must be downloaded and/or enabled before receiving a positive test result.
