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With pandemic waning, state turns on system to let you know if you've come near somebody with Covid-19
By adamg on Thu, 06/17/2021 - 11:41am
Jon Masters reports the Commonwealth has enabled a system that is supposed to alert people with Android or Apple phones if they come within infecting distance of people who have reported being infected with Covid-19.
The system works by using Bluetooth to collect and share IDs with other phones that have the system turned on - and alert you if any of them belong to people who've tested positive (and then reported it via the system).
On Android phones, go into Settings, and then Google. Click on Exposure Notifications, then select United States under Active Region. Select Massachusetts, then follow the remaining prompts to enable the system on your phone. On an iOS phone, go into Settings, then Exposure Notification.
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Comments
Wow, just in time!
Wow, just in time!
Nice
I can't wait to do this to someone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEStsLJZhzo
It has potential
but given we're on the topic of technology being behind the times, I'm a bit more partial to doing this to someone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iik25wqIuFo
Day late and a dollar short
I, everyone in my family (including the thirteen-year-old), all of our immediate neighbors, and all of the people we were podded with are vaccinated. I'm maskless outside, and masked up in stores for a few more weeks.
58% of Massholes have been fully vaccinated; realistically, how useful is this now that prevalence is down?
How many people will opt in?
I opted in (even though I am vaccinated), but I am very skeptical that enough people are going to opt in to make this useful. Beyond people not knowing about this or knowing how to opt in or those can’t be bothered to take the 90 seconds to do it, I see just as many other saying to themselves “I’m already vaxxed, so what’s the point?”
And that’s before the people who don’t want to opt in for privacy reasons.
Yea not many.
Will be useful for the next virus that I’m sure will happen in the next 50 years or so.
Check your phone - you had no choice
Check your phone's list of apps. You may have had it installed without your knowledge. It was forced into phones with recent updates. Look under apps. It is called MassNotify on Android phones. I found it on my phone and I know I did not install it.
I did
It was available but not active in my iPhone and I had to switch it on.
Sounds panic-inducing.
For those inclined to panic.
The people we need to avoid
won't be using that thing.
Now, if someone would invent an asshole detector ...
I had this for a few weeks, but eventually removed it
after I got a week or two beyond 'fully vaccinated' status. It requires that you keep Bluetooth and GPS (Location) enabled at all times, and that will drain your phone battery.
Same here
I was wondering why my Location icon was on my phone - when you mentioned that and the little "hey, want to monitor people for COVID?" blurb came on my phone this morning, I switched the monitoring off.
I'll give it a try. I already
I'll give it a try. I already have Bluetooth on all the time anyway for my watch.