FayettevilleState University (FSU) is joining other colleges and universities in NorthCarolina to rollout the new North Carolina Department of Health and HumanServices (NCDHHS) contact tracing application. Faculty, staff, and students atUNC System campuses like FSU are encouraged to participate in this voluntaryprogram by downloading and activating the SlowCOVIDNC app.
SlowCOVIDNC, builton Apple and Google technology, was designed with user privacy and safety firstin mind.
The app never collects or processes any location or personallyidentifiable information. Additionally, it allows users to opt-out at multiplecheckpoints.
Individuals who test positive will not be identified.
SlowCOVIDNC anonymously notifies users who have been exposedto the novel coronavirus. To participate, users do not need to do anything morethan downloadthe app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and turn onnotifications.
The SlowCOVIDNC app is free.
Once users have opted into the notification system, the apprandomly 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 ofthese connections, scanning for tokens associated with positive COVID-19 cases.When a match is identified, users receive a private notification with furtherinstructions on how to keep safe and halt the spread.
The app uses minimalbattery power and does not need to remain open for this process to work.
Because evidence suggests that COVID-19 spreads even beforeinfected individuals show symptoms, health officials agree that contact tracingefforts need to be fast and efficient. This digital app will help increasespeed and scale, expanding the reach and effectiveness of the state’s contacttracing 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
AboutFayetteville State University
FayettevilleState University is a constituent institution of The University of NorthCarolina System and the second-oldest institution of higher education in thestate, having been founded in 1867.
FSU is a historically black universityoffering degrees at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels. With morethan 6,700 students, Fayetteville State University is among the most diverseinstitutions in the nation.
To learn more about Fayetteville State University,visit www.uncfsu.edu.
