County and state officials hope residents will take one more step to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Hawaii.

All you have to do is download AlohaSafe Alert, the free State of Hawaii-approved exposure notification app.

This voluntary app is free and can be downloaded now from both the Apple and Google Play stores.

Once downloaded, the app uses Bluetooth technology to anonymously communicate with other phones that have the app. The devices will “ping” one another, measuring the strength of the Bluetooth signal, distance of each device and the duration of the contact.

If an individual is diagnosed with COVID-19, he or she will receive a text message from the Department of Health with a verification code to input into the app. This code will anonymously notify other devices about their possible COVID-19 exposure. The notification will not disclose any personally identifying information such as where, how or when they were exposed.

To trigger a notification alert, devices must have been within six feet of each other for at least 15 minutes in the past 14 days.

If app users receive a notification from AlohaSafe Alert that they may have been exposed to COVID-19, they are recommended to self-quarantine and get tested.

Preliminary results and findings from other states and countries show that, coupled with other measures, if only 15 percent of the population were to use AlohaSafe Alert, COVID-19 infections could be reduced by 8 percent and deaths by 6 percent.

“The effectiveness of AlohaSafe Alert is dependent on our residents downloading the app, and we urge our community to seize this opportunity to further protect each other,” said Rep. Linda Ichiyama, chair of the House Committee on Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness.

“The legislature sees this app as a critical tool our state can deploy to proactively help us control the spread of COVID-19.”

Keep in mind that the app doesn’t keep track of any geo-location or GPS data. And, should you test positive for COVID-19, your identity is kept private from anyone who receives an alert, and their identities are kept private from you.

Along with masks, social distancing and vaccines, the AlohaSafe Alert app is another useful tool in our ongoing battle with COVID-19.