Health Canada encouraging British Columbians to download COVID Alert

Health Canada is encouraging British Columbians to download the COVID Alert app, despite the fact that the province has not yet agreed to support it.

The agency has said that the use of the app could still be useful in curbing the spread of COVID-19.

“It’s still helpful to download COVID Alert from anywhere in the country, even if you can’t use it to report a diagnosis. That way, you’ll be notified if you come into contact with someone from a reporting province or territory or when people in your area are able to report a diagnosis,” a Health Canada spokesperson told Postmedia News.

For context, even though people in the province are unable to submit a positive diagnosis on the app, they can still be notified if they come into contact with someone visiting from a reporting province like Ontario or Quebec.

British Columbia and Alberta are the only two provinces that have not yet signed on to adopt the exposure notification app. Health Canada notes that it is working with provinces and territories, including British Columbia, to roll out the app.

COVID Alert is currently fully functional in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. The app has reached more than 4.6 million downloads.

The app can be downloaded for free on Android and iOS.

Source: Postmedia News