Fayetteville
State University (FSU) is joining other colleges and universities in North
Carolina to rollout the new North Carolina Department of Health and Human
Services (NCDHHS) contact tracing application. Faculty, staff, and students at
UNC System campuses like FSU are encouraged to participate in this voluntary
program by downloading and activating the SlowCOVIDNC app.
SlowCOVIDNC, built
on Apple and Google technology, was designed with user privacy and safety first
in mind. The app never collects or processes any location or personally
identifiable information. Additionally, it allows users to opt-out at multiple
checkpoints. Individuals who test positive will not be identified.
SlowCOVIDNC anonymously notifies users who have been exposed
to the novel coronavirus. To participate, users do not need to do anything more
than download
the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and turn on
notifications. The SlowCOVIDNC app is free.
Once users have opted into the notification system, the app
randomly generates digital tokens, which change every 15-20 minutes.
SlowCOVIDNC works in the background to exchange these privacy-preserving,
randomly generated tokens using Bluetooth technology. The app catalogs each of
these connections, scanning for tokens associated with positive COVID-19 cases.
When a match is identified, users receive a private notification with further
instructions on how to keep safe and halt the spread. The app uses minimal
battery power and does not need to remain open for this process to work.
Because evidence suggests that COVID-19 spreads even before
infected individuals show symptoms, health officials agree that contact tracing
efforts need to be fast and efficient. This digital app will help increase
speed and scale, expanding the reach and effectiveness of the state’s contact
tracing efforts.
The NCDHHS website offers more information about how the app protects privacy while empowering users to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. Learn more at: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/slowcovidnc
This video offers a more in-depth explanation of how the exposure notification app work. NC DHHS SlowCOVIDNC Training Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myysrR8zUGA&feature=youtu.be
About
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville
State University is a constituent institution of The University of North
Carolina System and the second-oldest institution of higher education in the
state, having been founded in 1867. FSU is a historically black university
offering degrees at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels. With more
than 6,700 students, Fayetteville State University is among the most diverse
institutions in the nation. To learn more about Fayetteville State University,
visit www.uncfsu.edu.
