The new COVID-19 Alert app is now available for Ontario residents to download on mobile phones.
The completely voluntary app uses Bluetooth technology to notify individuals if they have been near someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 over the previous two weeks by keeping a temporary record of all other phones with the app enabled that come into proximity to the individual’s phone. It does not rely on tracking individuals’ locations and does not collect users’ personal information or store it in a centralized location.
If a user receives a message from COVID Alert that they may have been exposed to the virus, they can get tested. If they test positive, they can anonymously notify other people by entering a one-time key from Ontario’s test results website into the app. A message will then be sent to other app users who have been within two metres of them for at least 15 minutes within the past 14 days, without sending any information that identifies the user, or the time and place of exposure.
The app becomes more effective as more people download and use it. Originally intended to be a nation-wide app, it is unclear when it will be adopted in other provinces.
The app, along with other measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, such as masks, hand-washing, and contact tracing, is good news for businesses because these general measures to flatten the curve will assist businesses in getting to their new normal in a quicker and more predictable manner. However, none of these general measures replace the particularised health and safety measures that an employer is required to implement in its workplace to ensure that its health and safety obligations are met by taking all reasonable precautions to protect the health and safety of workers.
This blog is provided as an information service and summary of workplace legal issues. This information is not intended as legal advice.