Repeated Notifications are Annoying
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.
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Information is worse than useless
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.
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.
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Incomplete Data
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.
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VDH behind?
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.
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No support for iPhone 6
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.
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Was once helpful but now not so much
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!
App suggestions for anxiety reduction
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.
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.
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No location or time stamp limits usefulness
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.
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Needs to clear old notifications
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.
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Couldn't get a Pin #...
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.
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.
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Suggested changes
1. Show if person was exposed to someone directly - are they at high risk?
2. Show if person was exposed to someone indirectly i.e contact via second or third party - is the risk lower?
3. Show duration of contact in minutes- level of risk
4. Show range of contact in feet - level of risk
5. Show location of contact - store, house etc - is source location now quarantined
6. Make exposed people eligible for immediate vaccination single dose and or prompt medical care.
7. Followup with exposed to confirm status of any COVID symptoms,
8. Make exposed eligible for funding assistance to comp for lost wages
9. Provide access link to free testing
10. Allow reporting of negative test
2. Show if person was exposed to someone indirectly i.e contact via second or third party - is the risk lower?
3. Show duration of contact in minutes- level of risk
4. Show range of contact in feet - level of risk
5. Show location of contact - store, house etc - is source location now quarantined
6. Make exposed people eligible for immediate vaccination single dose and or prompt medical care.
7. Followup with exposed to confirm status of any COVID symptoms,
8. Make exposed eligible for funding assistance to comp for lost wages
9. Provide access link to free testing
10. Allow reporting of negative test
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Very disappointed
This app is only as good as the contact tracing done to provide the information to it. My husband and I were exposed. We have both tested negative. The VA Dept of health never contacted our daughter who was positive. She never received a PIN so the app was never activated to advise people that had been near her to get tested.
We have almost completed our quarantine and we still haven’t been contacted. This is sad. I really hoped it would work to help slow COVID.
Please double mask through February.
We have almost completed our quarantine and we still haven’t been contacted. This is sad. I really hoped it would work to help slow COVID.
Please double mask through February.
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A Simple Lifesaver
This has really brought be peace of mind. Downloaded COVIDWISE a couple months ago and have been able to tell if I have ever been exposed while out and about.
If everyone where using this app, life could be a lot more normal!
If everyone where using this app, life could be a lot more normal!
Battery drain issue resolved?
The app drained 25% of my battery over 24 hours, according to iOS, even though I spent almost that entire period at home and did not go to any crowded places. Deleting and reinstalling the app may have fixed the battery drain, though that meant losing the potential contact information stored prior to that point.
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Not a help at all
I have been on the Virginia Tech campus from august to November and had multiple confirmed cases in my hall. Not a single notification. I downloaded this app with the hope of keeping myself and those around me safe but all I got was stupid “weekly reports” that consisted of nothing. This app doesn’t work when no one reports. I reported when I came into close contact with a possible case but overall this doesn’t work.
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Add full date & go nationwide
If it displayed the date it wouldn’t be as easy to spoof with a screenshot.
It would also be nice to have nationwide interoperability rather than just virginia-specific tracing. What’s a dc person supposed to do? (Update just in time for holiday travel, the devs write: “COVIDWISE now participates in the National Key Server...” so that’s improved.
It would also be nice to have nationwide interoperability rather than just virginia-specific tracing. What’s a dc person supposed to do? (Update just in time for holiday travel, the devs write: “COVIDWISE now participates in the National Key Server...” so that’s improved.
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Great Idea - One Bad Problem
Love the app and idea. Especially since I’m a GrubHub and DoorDash driver. But this app conflicts with both GrubHub and DoorDash. When Covidwise app is running the GrubHub and DoorDash new order alarms don’t work. So, Covidwise is unusable when I need it most. Please fix this. Also, how do I find the installed version number of Covidwise?
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Settings Are Difficult
I wanted to turn on Availability Alerts but cannot. It is not listed in Location Services. The switch is grayed out in the app. When I went to the VA website for help, I got the following:
[siteorigin_widget class=”WP_Widget_Media_Image”][/siteorigin_widget] Download Virginia’s free COVIDWISE Exposure Notifications app to help protect your community while protecting your privacy. [siteorigin_widget class=”WP_Widget_Media_Image”][/siteorigin_widget] Supported on iOS 13.5 & 13.6, compatible with iPhone.
[siteorigin_widget class=”WP_Widget_Media_Image”][/siteorigin_widget] Download Virginia’s free COVIDWISE Exposure Notifications app to help protect your community while protecting your privacy. [siteorigin_widget class=”WP_Widget_Media_Image”][/siteorigin_widget] Supported on iOS 13.5 & 13.6, compatible with iPhone.
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Great app! Everyone in the Washington area should use it!
This app does a great job of maintaining personal data privacy and at the same time helps to do contact tracing and early warning of possible contagion. I just hope people are given incentives to install it on their phones since the more the merrier!!!
Review from Information Security officer
This is a great app, designed with privacy first in mind. There is no way for anyone to know your information.
Let your friends and family know and ask them to download the app. It can save their life. The more people download it, the better it becomes.
I had a colleague receive a notification about possibly being exposed. He went to get tested and sure enough he was positive. He did not have symptoms but he self quarantined and saved his elderly parents from exposure. Download and spread the word! We can fight this virus out together.
Let your friends and family know and ask them to download the app. It can save their life. The more people download it, the better it becomes.
I had a colleague receive a notification about possibly being exposed. He went to get tested and sure enough he was positive. He did not have symptoms but he self quarantined and saved his elderly parents from exposure. Download and spread the word! We can fight this virus out together.
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