New Smartphone Tool Will Increase COVID-19 Exposure Awareness

The Baker-Polito Administration today announced the launch of MassNotify, a new free smartphone service that people in Massachusetts can voluntarily use to let others know that they may have been exposed to COVID-19.  

According to a media release from the Governor’s office today, Massachusetts remains a leader in the nation in COVID-19 vaccinations, with almost 4 million residents fully vaccinated, and COVID-19 case trends continue to drop. Case counts in Massachusetts are down 99% from their peak in January, and hospitalizations are down by 93% since their peak in January.  

Developed in conjunction with Apple and Google, MassNotify can be enabled on an iPhone or Android phone in seconds and provides an additional layer of awareness and safety for Massachusetts residents as the Commonwealth reopens. MassNotify alerts provide valuable awareness for both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents to help prevent future COVID transmission and keep Massachusetts open and residents safe from COVID-19. The technology works anonymously and does not track users or divulge personal information. 

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Massachusetts leads the nation in COVID-19 vaccination, with almost 4 million residents fully vaccinated, which has had a significant impact on our progress in fighting the virus... As we embrace our new normal, MassNotify is a voluntary, free tool to provide additional peace of mind to residents as they return to doing the things they love. ~ Governor Charlie Baker 

Massachusetts joins 28 other states across the U.S. and over 35 countries around the world that are utilizing similar exposure alerts to increase awareness and continued vigilance as vaccination numbers boost and re-opening resumes. MassNotify can be easily enabled on a smartphone through Settings on both Apple and Android phones.   

Instructions for enabling on a phone, along with more information about MassNotify, can be found at www.mass.gov/massnotify. Residents can opt-in immediately.   

MassNotify is safe, anonymous, secure, and voluntary. It will not collect information about who you are, where you go, or with whom you come in contact. Users can maintain privacy while utilizing a COVID-19 awareness tool to help protect themselves and their families. 

This is how MassNotify Works: 

When two people using MassNotify are near each other, their phones exchange random codes using Bluetooth. These random codes are completely anonymous, with no location tracking or exchange of personal information. When a person in Massachusetts tests positive for COVID-19 they will receive a text message with instructions on how to anonymously share their test result. If they do share their result, MassNotify users who were near the person who tested positive may receive an anonymous alert on their phone about their possible exposure to COVID-19.