MI COVID Alert is a free contact tracing app developed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) in partnership with Google, Apple, and SpringML. The app uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to exchange anonymous keys with other MI COVID Alert users. If a user tests positive for COVID-19, the app will alert other users who have shared a Bluetooth signal with the positive case. The BLE signals are date-stamped and the app estimates the distance between the two devices based on signal strength and duration of exposure. If the estimated distance is within six feet and the timeframe was at least 15 minutes, the user receives a notification of a possible exposure.

MI COVID Alert runs in the background without draining the device battery faster than other apps that use Bluetooth. The app does not track personal data, location, or identity. MDHHS and local public health staff follow up with persons who have a positive COVID-19 laboratory report and provide MI COVID Alert users with a validation pin. This pin is required to report a notification of possible exposure to other users, preventing false reporting and generating false exposure notifications. Download MI COVID Alert today and help keep your community safe.