Well, thatâs a wrap on the COVID Alert app.Â
Canada is shutting down the national COVID contact tracing app we love to hate after changes to PCR testing regulations rendered it largely useless, per The Globe and Mail.Â
Catch up: The Bluetooth tracking app aimed to cool the spread of COVID by letting users know if theyâd come into close contact with someone who had tested positive on a PCR test. Smart, right? Â
- People with a positive PCR test would upload a code into the app that would send out exposure notifications, which requires reliable testing and personal accountability.
The app fell short in a few meaningful ways.Â
Less than one in five Canadian residents downloaded it and only ~58,000 total infections were recorded. Many users received false exposure notifications, and a handful of provinces opted against using it at all. Now, the shift away from PCR testing has left it sitting idle.Â
Yes, but:Â At the time of release, the app was considered a big achievement in contact tracing technology and whatâs possible when the government and private sector collaborate. Plus, eventually winding down the app was always part of the plan (although not so soon).Â
Why it matters:Â Until more data on the appâs effectiveness is available, itâs unclear whether the $20 million investment into its development was well spent, but at the very least, it marks another milestone in the transition out of weird pandemic life.Â