Minnesota officials say COVID tracking app is a critical tool to fight the pandemic. Few people actually use it.

Expertise touted by state officers to assist sluggish the unfold of COVID-19 isn’t being utilized by the hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans who’ve it on their telephones, an evaluation of state information exhibits.

The state launched the “COVIDAware MN” app in November 2020. The app notifies a person that they might have been uncovered to somebody who examined constructive for COVID-19.

However the effectiveness of the app hinges on the one that assessments constructive being keen — and in a position — to enter a code generated by the state well being division.

Within the 12 months and a half the know-how has been on-line, the state generated 653,362 codes linked to constructive COVID take a look at outcomes. Knowledge analyzed by 5 INVESTIGATES exhibits solely 57,402, lower than 10%, have been put again into the app.

The person fee was even worse when the Omicron wave hit Minnesota in January. State information revealed the week after instances peaked, solely 4% of the codes despatched to COVID-positive sufferers have been used within the app.

Regardless of the low participation, state officers defended the know-how. 

“We’re fairly assured, actually in Minnesota, that this together with different measures have resulted in two actually, actually crucial issues: saving lives and decreasing the unfold of COVID-19,” stated Tarek Tomes, commissioner of the Minnesota Division of Info Expertise, or MNIT.

Up to now, greater than 2.7 million folks in Minnesota opted-in by both downloading the app or enabling publicity notifications on their Apple gadgets.

The code by no means got here

However Andrew Bathroom stated the app didn’t do what the state promised.

As a most cancers survivor, Bathroom had downloaded the app as quickly because it was made accessible as a result of he stated he wished to guard himself, his spouse (who works in healthcare), and anybody else they got here in shut contact with.

“I had hopes that it will assist folks out, but it surely simply didn’t work out that manner,” Bathroom stated in an interview with 5 INVESTIGATES.

After his constructive COVID take a look at, Bathroom anticipated to get a textual content containing a code to place into the app. When he didn’t get that textual content, he referred to as the Minnesota Division of Well being.

“They stated that I’d obtain a code, and I didn’t,” he recalled. “I referred to as once more, and so they stated it’ll be on the best way.”

The code by no means got here. 

“Each of us have been like, are you kidding me?” he stated.

Two weeks after his signs first started, and annoyed with the method, Bathroom gave up on the COVIDAware MN app.

“By that point, I used to be already exterior of the quarantine window,” he stated. “I figured what’s the usage of persevering with to chase after this.”

5 INVESTIGATES confirmed different customers skilled comparable issues. Through the Omicron wave, a person who acquired a code from the well being division didn’t hassle placing it into the app as a result of the textual content message got here 10 days after they examined constructive.

Tomes deferred questions on these delays to well being division officers, who declined a number of interview requests on this matter.

MDH issued a press release to five INVESTIGATES, saying partially that for the reason that know-how was model new, the division “had no expectations for the way it will carry out,” and that the demand for testing in the course of the Omicron wave “careworn each side of testing techniques maintained by the state and different entities, inflicting some take a look at outcomes to be supplied later than would have usually been the case.”

The publicity notification know-how got here on-line in Minnesota at a time when contact tracing assets have been stretched skinny, and vaccines weren’t but extensively accessible to most people.

The COVIDAware MN app doesn’t accumulate any private data, a degree Governor Tim Walz careworn when he introduced it was accessible for obtain.

“That is an opt-in different,” he stated throughout a each day press briefing on the finish of November 2020. “You don’t must put the code in your cellphone, and also you don’t must notify others round you. I’d strongly encourage, if not beg you, please achieve this.”

The app was celebrated as a low-cost, low upkeep however extremely environment friendly technique to observe covid. 

It was created by the state in partnership with the nonprofit PathCheck Basis at a one-time value of $170,000. There aren’t any state workers assigned to take care of the app.

A 12 months and a half later, the state now blames low utilization numbers on COVID fatigue.

“It’s a must to make issues like this as straightforward as doable,” Tomes stated in an interview. He additionally acknowledged the state must re-examine its course of for issuing codes to constructive COVID sufferers.

“One of many issues that we’ve got seen and we are going to repeatedly, relentlessly advocate for is doing every thing that we will to shorten these timelines,” Tomes stated.

Nevertheless, the know-how’s limitations elevate questions on its future effectiveness. Proper now, people who take a look at constructive on an at-home take a look at can not use the app.

Tomes stated the state is at present exploring including a “self-reporting” possibility, permitting individuals who take a look at constructive at dwelling to make use of a code within the app with out MDH verifying the end result by means of a lab-based take a look at.

In a press release, MDH stated because the widespread use of at-home fast testing has elevated, “we’re learning how you can finest adapt to this new actuality in order that COVIDAwareMN can proceed to be related and finest serve Minnesotans because it was supposed.”