There's another tool in the toolbox available to fight the spread of COVID-19. Just don't rely on it completely to stay safe.

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Monday that California's COVID contact-tracing and notification app, CA Notify, would be available and begin functioning on Dec. 10 for everyone in the state with an iPhone or Android device. People who opt in to the system will be able to receive a smartphone notification if they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for coronavirus (if that person has *also* opted in).

OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest nonprofit, integrated health care system, is committing $63 million to support California's contact-tracing. Contact tracing in California California Connected is our state’s contact tracing program. By helping infected and exposed people self-isolate or self-quarantine, we can slow the spread of the infection and help avoid outbreaks. Contact Tracing Concerns Grow as CA COVID Cases Increase California became the second state in America to report more than 400,000 COVID-19 cases Tuesday, joining New York. California Jul 22.

CA Notify is the result of a collaboration between multiple state agencies, the University of California system, other health partners, and Apple and Google. It runs on the Exposure Notification System, which is a technical framework jointly built by Apple and Google, that allows government and health authorities to tap into the anonymized Bluetooth signals of Apple and Android users who opt in, and then send them messages if necessary.

NEW: CA has partnered with @Google and @Apple to launch a #COVID19 exposure notification app, CA Notify.
Starting Thursday, you can opt in to get push notifications on your phone if you have been exposed to COVID-19.
This is 100% private & secure.
More: https://t.co/xtXFwVeWc2

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) December 7, 2020

The system has been available in a pilot program on UC campuses since the fall. But all Californians are now able to opt in. Android users need to download the CA Notify app in the Google Play store. After making sure they have the latest version of iOS, iPhone need to go into Settings, scroll down to 'Exposure Notifications,' turn that option on, and then select United States > California.

Here's how the system works: If a person tests positive for COVID, they'll get instructions and a code for how to submit that information to CA Notify. The information won't contain personal information like their specific name or phone number. But it will enable the framework to identify the devices of other people that have come in contact with the infected person based on their Bluetooth signals. Exposed people will get a notification that they're potentially at risk and they should get tested, but won't reveal the name or location of their possible exposure. Here's a more detailed breakdown of how it works.

What constitutes exposure? States using the system have the ability to set their own parameters. In California, exposure is within six feet for fifteen minutes or more of someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.

California is not the first state to launch a COVID contact tracing app, but it is the largest to do so. It comes at a crucial moment when cases are surging and putting hospital capacity at risk.

However, if you're relying on a technical system to keep you safe from COVID, the rollout of these apps in other states, and the misgivings of both health and privacy experts, should give you pause.

North Dakota's attempt at digital contact tracing resulted in the collection of imprecise data that only confused contact tracers and made their jobs harder. That's partially because the app can't take into account factors like whether people are separated by a wall, or whether they're wearing personal protective equipment.

Nevada's version of a notification system registered zero exposures in September, a month when COVID was flaring in the state. That speaks to an essential shortcoming of the app: It is more useful the more people actually opt-in.

But making the system opt-in is important from a privacy standpoint. Otherwise we might all get the feeling that the government is tracking our every move. That doesn't mean there isn't cause for privacy concern. The system requires people to keep their Bluetooth on at all times, which makes their devices inherently more vulnerable to hackers trying to steal information about you. Giving the government this access to our smartphones also isn't such a hunky dory idea for the privacy concerned: 'It is all too easy for governments to redeploy the infrastructure of surveillance from pandemic containment to political spying,' .

However, more tools joining the fight against COVID during this overwhelming surge could ultimately be a positive. Google notes that technical contact tracing is not a replacement for the human run work. But contact tracers don't have the resources to battle singlehandedly against the virus given the immense scale of the spread. In the absence of that work, a notification from an app about possible exposure could prompt someone to get tested and quarantine themself earlier than they might have otherwise, which could slow the spread.

The anonymous aspect of the technical system is also helpful, given the shame some people report upon receiving a positive coronavirus test, which could keep them from sharing the news with others. Like anonymous STD notification systems before it, COVID ones allow people to notify others without revealing themselves.

Notification apps like California's are not the panacea the world needs to end COVID. But, hopefully, it's one more little thing that can help.

As COVID-19 swept across the globe, it left fear and uncertainty in its wake. Since March of 2020, day-to-day business operations have changed tremendously. Organizations who sent non-essential workers home to protect their health and safety must now grapple with the decision of when and how to return employees to the workplace.

One state’s recent law provides a preview of what that return could look like from a health and safety perspective.

On September 17th, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom of California signed Assembly Bill (AB) 685 into law, establishing new requirements for employers.

Three takeaways from the new law:

• Beginning January 1^st, 2021, employers must notify employees about any potential COVID-19 exposure in the workplace
• Employers must also notify their local public health agency about an outbreak as defined by the State Department of Public Health
• The mandatory notification period is one business day to notify employees of potential COVID-19 exposure and 48 hours to notify their local public health department of an outbreak

This new law outlines how critical it is for employers to be expeditious in their contact tracing and notification efforts.

The new requirements under AB 685 go into effect in less than two months. Other states may soon follow California’s lead and introduce similar bills. It is business-critical that employers begin reviewing their COVID-19 contact tracing program immediately to ensure they are compliant by January 1^st, 2021.

Companies worldwide have been scrambling to understand the most efficient process for effectively implementing a contact tracing program. Challenges and concerns have become readily apparent, with businesses relying on their HR departments and software solutions to provide guidance and expertise. Collecting and storing employee information is nothing new for a business. However, employee privacy has been a significant concern.

The way that data is collected, stored, and utilized varies from business to business. Contact tracing information is no different than collecting any other identifying information of an employee. For example, pre-employment screening, driver’s license verification, health benefit questionnaires, and emergency contact information are typically collected by all employers at some level. In fact, most workplaces regularly utilize visitor logs, swipe card entry systems, security key codes, and CCTV. In a sense, these are all tracing and tracking methods implemented for the employees, visitors, and premises’ health, security, and safety.

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Mandatory contact tracing empowers companies to protect their employees’ health and safety, instill peace of mind while managing risk and liability. One person infected with COVID-19 has the power to impact an entire organization, creating the need for companies to be quick and automated in their contact tracing procedures and notification processes.

HR plays a significant role in culture change and redefining the expectations of employee data and consent. During this time, HR professionals are advised to take the reins with an automated and effective contact tracing solution that is HIPAA compliant and expeditious.

A solution needs to offer:

Ca Casino Contact Tracing Pages

• Flexibility
• Privacy
• Tracing methods that do not extend beyond the walls of the workplace

Offering a solution such as this will ensure employee privacy and demonstrate that adequate health and safety measures are in place for all employees’ well-being. It is paramount to execute an automated and dependable contact trace program upon a confirmed COVID-19 infected case and properly notify all potentially exposed employees within the constraints of AB 685 to comply with California state law.

For organizations outside of California, it is only a matter of time before similar bills are introduced. Reviewing and implementing effective contact trace procedures now will put you ahead of the game and give employees the peace of mind they deserve. Companies that turn this adversity into their advantage will continue to thrive and push forward with success.