Minnesota COVID-19 exposure notification system updated to include self-test results

St. Paul, MN – Starting Thursday, September 8, an update will begin to roll out to Minnesota’s COVIDaware MN users that will allow Minnesotans who receive positive COVID-19 self-test results to request a verification code to voluntarily enter into the system – kicking off the process to send anonymous notifications to other COVIDaware MN users who may have been exposed to the virus.

Prior to this update, Minnesotans who tested positive for COVID-19 could only request a verification code to send anonymous exposure notifications through COVIDaware MN after the Minnesota Department of Health received a laboratory-confirmed report of a positive COVID-19 test result.

“When Minnesotans use COVIDaware MN, they are helping others in the community make informed decisions about their health,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm. “Many people are taking advantage of widely available and quick self-tests, so this update to the COVIDaware MN app gives people another way to notify people of a potential exposure so they can take the appropriate steps to protect themselves and others.”

“At Minnesota IT Services, we strive to keep the people we serve at the center of our technology solutions,” said Minnesota IT Services Commissioner Tarek Tomes. “We are proud of the collaboration that made this update possible while making it easier for Minnesotans to opt-in to using COVIDaware MN.”

When Minnesotans opt-in to using COVIDaware MN by enabling the exposure notification setting in iPhones or downloading the app on Android devices, the system generates a random, privacy-protecting key for a user’s phone that changes every 10 to 20 minutes. Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, the user’s phone and the phones of other COVIDaware MN users they are near anonymously exchange these privacy-protected keys. When a verification code is entered into the system, exposure notifications are sent to the phones that exchanged those keys.

With the latest update, a COVIDaware MN user who receives a positive COVID-19 result from a self-test will be able to request a verification code right within the system. COVIDaware MN users can follow prompts in their iPhones COVIDaware MN settings or in the COVIDaware MN app on Android to receive a text message with the verification code. Users can tap the code in their text message to enter it into the system and send out anonymous notifications to others about their potential exposure to COVID-19.

People who get a positive result through a laboratory test will continue to receive verification codes from the Minnesota Department of Health after their test result is reported.

Minnesota launched the COVIDaware MN app in November 2020, followed by an expansion of the system that allowed Minnesotans to opt-in to the COVIDaware MN system through their iPhone settings in January 2021. Since that time, COVIDaware MN has also been updated to automate and streamline the processes for sending out verification codes. With the new update, the process now includes codes for self-tests, making it easier and faster to anonymously share a positive test result.

Minnesotans who receive an exposure notification through COVIDaware MN should follow current public health recommendations for how long to wear a mask and when to get tested. More information can be found on Close Contact or Exposure to COVID-19.

More information about COVIDaware MN is online at http://www.mn.gov/covid19/covidawaremn.