# COVIDWISE > Official COVID-19 exposure notification app for Virginia residents. (iPhone/iPad app by Virginia Department of Health.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/covidwise/id1518059690 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Virginia Department of Health](https://appshunter.io/developer/1266396180) - Category: Health & Fitness - Price: Free - Rating: 4.39/5 from 980 App Store ratings · 50 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 12+ - Requires: iOS 13.7 · 9 MB - Languages: English, Spanish - Released: 2020-08-04 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/covidwise/id1518059690/reviews.md ## What is COVIDWISE? COVIDWISE is the official COVID-19 exposure notification app for the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Health (VDH). The app was developed in partnership with SpringML using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) API framework created through a unique collaboration between Apple and Google. Your personal use of COVIDWISE will significantly help inform Virginians suspected of having been within close proximity to someone with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. When you download COVIDWISE, you are doing your part to efficiently and effectively help your community stay ahead of any potential resurgent trends in cases. This is vitally important as the business sector, healthcare industry, K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, religious organizations, sporting/recreation activities, and others rely on appropriate interventions to ensure the health of our communities and maintain economic viability. How COVIDWISE Works: If someone reports to the app that they tested positive, the signals from their app will search for other app users who shared that signal. The BLE signals are date-stamped and the app estimates how close the two devices were based on signal strength. If the timeframe was at least 15 minutes and the estimated distance was within six feet, then the other user receives a notification of a possible exposure. No names! No location! The BLE framework within COVIDWISE will run in the background, even if the exposure notification app is closed. It will not drain the device battery at a rate that would occur with other apps that use normal Bluetooth and/or are open and running constantly. How COVIDWISE Protects Your Privacy: VDH takes your privacy and confidentiality very seriously. This is why we chose to use the Apple and Google BLE framework. No personal data or location tracking occurs within this app. In fact, there is no need for VDH to know where or who you are for COVIDWISE to work. If you are close enough to another app user, the BLE technology will share signals with that user. Laboratory results for all persons who test positive for COVID-19 are sent to VDH. This is not associated with the app. Our staff follows up with persons reported as positive, based on information provided within the laboratory report. Anonymously Share Positive Test Results With COVIDWISE: When VDH receives any positive COVID-19 lab result registered with a valid mobile phone number, we will automatically send a text message to that individual, which provides rapid notification and encourages them to stay home and away from other people. The text also lets individuals who have tested positive know they may retrieve an 8-digit verification code from the COVIDWISE Verification Portal at https://apps.vdh.virginia.gov/CWP. You must enter your last name, date of birth, and the phone number that matches the information from your registered COVID-19 test to verify your positive result. You may use that 8-digit verification code in order to anonymously report a positive result to the app. This prevents people from falsely reporting positive results, which could generate false exposure notifications. VDH wants all app users to feel confident that when a possible COVID-19 exposure is received via the app, that it is a real event. If you have the current Apple or Google operating system installed on your device, you may have noticed that Exposure Notifications are now included. Apple and Google will delete the exposure notification service tools from their respective operating systems once the pandemic reaches a point that public health no longer requires the use of this technology. Thank you for downloading COVIDWISE! Together, we can protect our family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues, and keep Virginia moving forward! ## Key features - COVID-19 exposure notification - Bluetooth Low Energy technology - Anonymous positive test reporting - Privacy-focused design - Background operation - Low battery consumption ## What do users think of COVIDWISE? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 🚀 Repeated notifications are annoying - 🔒 Privacy-focused design - 👍 Useful exposure notifications - 💡 Ability to report positive test results **Cons** - 🐛 Incomplete or unclear exposure information - 🐛 Repeated notifications for the same exposure - 🐛 Difficulty obtaining PIN to report positive test - 🔋 Battery drain issues - 🔒 Limited support for older devices **Commonly reported bugs** - Bluetooth connectivity issues - Repeated notifications for the same exposure - Delayed exposure notifications **Most requested features** - Provide more detailed exposure information (location, time, duration) - Allow users to acknowledge/clear previous exposures - Integrate with health department systems for seamless reporting - Expand to nationwide interoperability - Add more data and metrics to the app ## Recent user reviews (10 of 50) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/covidwise/id1518059690/reviews.md ### 4/5 — Repeated Notifications are Annoying *2022-01-15, version 1.6* I was notified of a possible exposure. With the Omicron variant, I am not sure that was all that useful since it seems to be everywhere, but I was glad to be notified. That said, the app continues to “notify” me of exposure, and when I check the date of exposure, it is the same exposure. I got it the first three times, no need to keep notifying me. ### 1/5 — Information is worse than useless *2022-01-04, version 1.6* This app provides incomplete information that can only make people worried. The app says I have likely been exposed to someone who has tested positive. But it doesn’t tell me WHEN I was exposed. It just gives a nebulous “6 days ago”. Six days from when? To be useful the app should give the date of the exposure. It should also say the time of day when the exposure occurred. The location of the exposure would also be useful, but that must be too much to ask. Now all I can do is worry. How do I count back six days? If I’m counting correctly the only thing I did that day was drop my bother at the airport, and I’m confident that I wasn’t close enough to anyone to catch it. But what if I counted wrong? Should I get a test? Or should I leave those for people who really need them? Thanks, COVIDWISE for increasing my stress level. I wish I’d never installed the app. ### 2/5 — Incomplete Data *2021-11-22, version 1.6* I received a notification that I had a possible exposure to a person who tested positive. The app said possible exposure was 4 days ago, but there is no date on notice. So don’t know if I saw notification when it was received or if it was a week old. App told me to quarantine and get tested. I called Virginia Health Department and they said if I am vaccinated, I don’t need to do anything unless I have symptoms. Also app said I was within 6 feet of a person who tested positive for at least 15 minutes. The Health Department said I was probably in an area that had a high percentage of positive cases. So this confusing information makes me feel very nervous about possibly spreading Covid, but I am not sure I have any reason to be concerned. App needs to provide better current information or it only adds to confusion. ### 3/5 — VDH behind? *2021-10-02, version 1.5* My gripe isn’t so much about the app, because it did notify me of my exposure - 11 days after I had been exposed. I tested the very next day, and due to backups in the labs, got my results 6 days later. So 17 days after exposure I found I was positive. I immediately went to COVIDWISE to notify of my positive result. I need a PIN from VDH to do so. Today is day 3 I have been trying to get a PIN to notify others of my result. VDH says my record doesn’t exist. No one from VDH has contacted me via phone or text. I’m starting to see why I didn’t get the COVIDWISE notice of exposure until 11 days after exposure. I had 11 days that I wasn’t aware I had been exposed and was not taking extra precautions (I’ve been vaccinated and wear a mask, distance & wash hands so precautions beyond that). Until they figure out the backlog problem of allowing positive users to immediately notify, this app is not going to do much. Still trying to get that PIN so I can let whomever I was in contact with for 11 days know they’ve been exposed. ### 2/5 — No support for iPhone 6 *2021-08-26, version 1.5* I’m all for the idea behind this app and I believe I even used to have it installed... However, as my phone is an iPhone 6 Plus, it doesn’t run iOS 13, which this app requires. That seems to mean I can’t take advantage of/participate in the COVID exposure notification enterprise at all. I realize my phone is “old” compared to what’s now available but it still works just fine and meets my needs, and I don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on an upgrade (nor any real interest in doing so, as I’m 69 years old and don’t aspire to TikTok my way to internet stardom or whatever). I suspect I am not nearly the only person out there still using an iPhone 6 Plus, and for such a large public health problem as COVID, I would’ve thought these “official” apps might better meet the needs of the whole population. ### 3/5 — Was once helpful but now not so much *2021-08-26, version 1.5* App was a great tool to be able to track cases and up to date info during pandemic but now it doesn’t have any of that. In a time where delta variant is running rampant, please make it so we can see daily summary again! ### 4/5 — App suggestions for anxiety reduction *2021-08-11, version 1.5* I’ve had this app since it came out, no issues until I received my first exposure notification (which surprisingly occurred outside of Virginia, happy that this seems to work elsewhere) 1. Received notification of possible exposure (have since tested negative) and now I get notified of the same exposure every single day. Will this stop after 14 days or ever? It’s really stressful. Can you add a button to stop the repeated notifications for a previous exposure? (“Acknowledged”, or “tested negative”) 2. The wording of when the exposure is estimated to have happened is too ambiguous, it would be better to report “on MM/DD/YY” rather than “x days ago”. Couldn’t decide if x days ago meant the exposure occurred on day 1 or day 0. Thank you for your work. ### 3/5 — No location or time stamp limits usefulness *2021-08-09, version 1.5* Got an exposure notification. But it doesn’t say where or what time of day, making it impossible to know where the potential exposure took place (to then notify someone else, say). Grocery store? So it’s minorly helpful but…not really. From a public health data perspective it uses anonymous tokens so why won’t it let you update with your vaccine status? Or test result? Even as an option? This would be good aggregate, non personally identifying data to have re exposure and possible breakthrough case rates. Such wasted potential for using technology to help track and sort. ### 3/5 — Needs to clear old notifications *2021-08-05, version 1.5* I got a notification, got three tests done, and several days later I got another notification… for the same exposure. Then two days after that, another notification… there needs to be a way to clear an exposure from the app so you’re not constantly getting worried when you see an alert pop up and it’s the same exposure you already dealt with and got tested for so you’re clean. ### 2/5 — Couldn't get a Pin ... *2021-07-14, version 1.5* Downloaded the app in 2020 even though many in my area of VA may not use it. I own a retail store thought it would mainly be for travelers that might be in our store. Didn't receive any notifications and that was fine and the app didn't affect my phone's battery. The problem was when I tested positive in January 2021. I did not receive a call, email, or text from the Health Department. My test was done at my local hospital drive-thru area on Friday morning (neg. rapid result then PCR swab for confirmation). The results indicating a positive PCR test result posted to my MyChart acct (good thing that app is on my phone) on Saturday afternoon and TWO DAYS LATER a nurse from my doctor's office called to inform me of the results. I tried multiple ways to get a pin # - calls, emails, through the app, etc. I WAS NOT ABLE TO ENTER A PIN # AND REPORT MY INFECTION IN THE APP. I consider this system a failure and I was wanting it to really work. App may give false security if you think you'll be notified of potential exposures. I deleted the app after my experience. ## Frequently asked questions about COVIDWISE ### What does COVIDWISE do? COVIDWISE is the official COVID-19 exposure notification app for Virginia. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology to anonymously alert users if they have been in close proximity to someone who has reported a positive COVID-19 test. This helps individuals take appropriate precautions and helps the community stay ahead of potential case trends. ### How does COVIDWISE protect my privacy? The app prioritizes user privacy by not collecting or tracking any personal data or location information. It utilizes a framework developed by Apple and Google that relies on anonymous Bluetooth signals. No names or locations are shared between users, ensuring your identity remains confidential. ### How do I report a positive COVID-19 test result? If you test positive for COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) may send you a text message with instructions. You can then visit the COVIDWISE Verification Portal and enter an 8-digit verification code, along with your last name, date of birth, and phone number, to anonymously share your positive result with the app. ### Does COVIDWISE drain my phone battery? No, the app is designed to run in the background using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, which is optimized for low power consumption. It will not drain your device battery at a rate comparable to other apps that use standard Bluetooth or are constantly running in the foreground. ### Who is this app for? This app is intended for residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia. By using COVIDWISE, individuals can contribute to the health and safety of their community by being informed of potential exposures and taking necessary steps to prevent further spread of COVID-19. ## Version history (last 2 releases) ### 2.0 — 2023-04-18 COVIDWISE is the official COVID-19 exposure notification app for the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Health (VDH). The app was developed in partnership with SpringML using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) API framework created through a unique collaboration between Apple and Google. Your personal use of COVIDWISE will significantly help inform Virginians suspected of having been within close proximity to someone with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. When you download COVIDWISE, you are doing your part to efficiently and effectively help your community stay ahead of any potential resurgent trends in cases. This is vitally important as the business sector, healthcare industry, K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, religious organizations, sporting/recreation activities, and others rely on appropriate interventions to ensure the health of our communities and maintain economic viability. How COVIDWISE Works: If someone reports to the app that they tested positive, the signals from their app will search for other app users who shared that signal. The BLE signals are date-stamped and the app estimates how close the two devices were based on signal strength. If the timeframe was at least 15 minutes and the estimated distance was within six feet, then the other user receives a notification of a possible exposure. No names! No location! The BLE framework within COVIDWISE will run in the background, even if the exposure notification app is closed. It will not drain the device battery at a rate that would occur with other apps that use normal Bluetooth and/or are open and running constantly. How COVIDWISE Protects Your Privacy: VDH takes your privacy and confidentiality very seriously. This is why we chose to use the Apple and Google BLE framework. No personal data or location tracking occurs within this app. In fact, there is no need for VDH to know where or who you are for COVIDWISE to work. If you are close enough to another app user, the BLE technology will share signals with that user. Laboratory results for all persons who test positive for COVID-19 are sent to VDH. This is not associated with the app. Our staff follows up with persons reported as positive, based on information provided within the laboratory report. Anonymously Share Positive Test Results With COVIDWISE: When VDH receives any positive COVID-19 lab result registered with a valid mobile phone number, we will automatically send a text message to that individual, which provides rapid notification and encourages them to stay home and away from other people. The text also lets individuals who have tested positive know they may retrieve an 8-digit verification code from the COVIDWISE Verification Portal at https://apps.vdh.virginia.gov/CWP. You must enter your last name, date of birth, and the phone number that matches the information from your registered COVID-19 test to verify your positive result. You may use that 8-digit verification code in order to anonymously report a positive result to the app. This prevents people from falsely reporting positive results, which could generate false exposure notifications. VDH wants all app users to feel confident that when a possible COVID-19 exposure is received via the app, that it is a real event. If you have the current Apple or Google operating system installed on your device, you may have noticed that Exposure Notifications are now included. Apple and Google will delete the exposure notification service tools from their respective operating systems once the pandemic reaches a point that public health no longer requires the use of this technology. Thank you for downloading COVIDWISE! Together, we can protect our family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues, and keep Virginia moving forward! ### 1.8 — 2022-08-19 Updates to exposure notification criteria based on latest standards. ## Apps similar to COVIDWISE | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Dr Fiona Tassoni Fertility COH](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dr-fiona-tassoni-fertility-coh/id1607693700) | — | Free | Health & Fitness | | [米迦健康-让爱你的人更安心](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1610731660) | — | Free | Health & Fitness | | [Inner Balance Physio & Pilates](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inner-balance-physio-and-pilates/id1616681700) | — | Free | Health & Fitness | | [Megaphone Fitness](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/megaphone-fitness/id1616666520) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Health & Fitness | | [FITJO](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fitjo/id1605626660) | — | Free | Health & Fitness | | [Sweaty Cardio Workouts](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sweaty-cardio-workouts/id1607107780) | — | Free | Health & Fitness | ## More apps by Virginia Department of Health - [Virginia OEMS](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virginia-oems/id1266396181) All apps by Virginia Department of Health: https://appshunter.io/developer/1266396180 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*