Launched on Wednesday, the app is designed to alert users if they have been near to someone with Covid-19.
Having passed the 15% of the population threshold given by developers as the level at which the app could play an effective role in tracing the spread of the virus, further efforts are to be made to increase take-up.
This will include an SMS message from all the Island’s mobile providers that will introduce the app and outline the simple steps to install it.
The vast majority of mobile users in Jersey have smartphones, and the app is designed to work on devices that are less than five years old. This equates to an Apple iPhone 6 and above, or Google’s android version 6.0 and higher.
Tony Moretta, chief executive of Digital Jersey, said he hoped the Island’s employers would play a major role.
‘We are reaching out to companies and asking that they make their staff aware of the app and the part they can play in Jersey’s response to the virus,’ he said. ‘I’ve already had a lot of positive responses from chief execs at a range of businesses, and in some cases this will include promoting the app to customers as well as staff.’
Julian Blazeby, director general for Justice and Home Affairs, confirmed that, as the Island’s largest employer, the government would be encouraging its staff to become app users.
It is hoped that Jersey’s app will soon be able to synchronise with those from other jurisdictions.
Rachel Wijsmuller, of Digital Jersey, said the initial target was interoperability with the UK and Ireland.
‘The technical arrangements are in test right now and we hope to have that working by the end of the month,’ she said. ‘The legal and data protection sides are also in their final stages – it’s a lightweight approach which involves a memorandum of understanding between the participating nations. As the app doesn’t process much personal data, and the interoperability system none at all, we already have the green light from the Jersey Office of the Information Commissioner and the Law Officers’ Department.’
Additional work is also being carried out relating to other European jurisdictions.
The free app works anonymously and will operate alongside the current contact tracing system.
Yesterday afternoon the total number of downloads had exceeded 18,000. By that point, no one had received an alert to say they had been near someone with the virus. Further detail is available at covidalert.gov.je.
