The Department of Health (DOH) developed WA Notify to help track the spread of COVID-19. WA Notify, also known as Washington Exposure Notifications, informs users if they may have been exposed to COVID-19. WA Notify is free, completely private and does not track your personal information or location.
How do I use WA Notify?
WA Notify is a free tool that works on any smartphone. On an iPhone, you can enable exposure notifications within your phone settings under “exposure notifications.” For Android users, WA Notify can be downloaded as an app from the Google Play Store. For more information about using WA Notify, visit the DOH webpage.
How does WA Notify work?
According to DOH, the WA Notify app “runs in the background on smartphones that have enabled WA Notify; the phones will exchange random, anonymous codes when near others who have also enabled WA Notify on their phones. If a user later tests positive for COVID-19, and adds a verification code into the app, other WA Notify users they were near will receive an anonymous notification that they may have been exposed. These close contacts can then take steps to help stop the spread of COVID-19, like testing and quarantining.” For more information, consult this DOH guide: How WA Notify Works.
As we face another rise in COVID-19 cases, please consider sharing this resource with your community in hopes of reducing COVID-19 transmissions. For an in-depth look at WA Notify, read the “Test positive at home?” blog published by DOH on December 28, 2021.