FAQ: COVID-19 Alert App

Note: This page has been archived and is no longer in use. For the most up-to-date COVID-19 FAQs, please consult the new Defence Team COVID-19 FAQs web page.

Is the app mandatory?

No. However, the app is an important part of COVID-19 mitigation and control measures and all Defence Team members, as well as their friends and families, are encouraged to use it.

Should I install the app on my employer-issued smartphone?

The app should be installed on one device only, generally the one that you carry with you most frequently. For most Defence Team members, this will be their personal device, but downloading it to DND- and CAF-issued smartphones is permitted.

If I can’t bring my phone to my workplaces, should I bother using the app?

Yes. The app continues to be active when you are outside of the workplace and is an important part of preventing the spread of COVID-19 in your community. To avoid false notifications, deactivate the app using the instructions provided in the app when you will not be carrying your phone.

I am a health-care provider. Should I use the app?

Yes. To avoid false notifications related to your seeing patients, deactivate the app using the instructions provided in the app when you are performing clinical duties.

Will the app work outside of the provinces where it is enabled, or overseas?

If you are not in a location where activation keys are being provided, you will not be able to use the app to trigger notifications for others. However, no matter where you are, the app will still notify you if someone, for whom you were a potential high-risk contact, was diagnosed with COVID-19 and used an activation key themselves.

Currently, provinces where you can report a diagnosis include Quebec, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and PEI. The Government of Canada is working with provincial and territorial governments to roll out COVID Alert across Canada as quickly as possible. For this reason, all Canadians are encouraged to download the app regardless of where they live.

Will Canadian Forces Health Services issue activation keys?

Canadian Forces Health Services is currently working with the Canadian Digital Service, the federal government’s app developer, to incorporate the issuing of activation keys with our COVID-19 diagnostic process. This process will be finalized in the near future. In the meantime, CAF members who receive COVID-19 test results from civilian provincial labs could receive activation keys when they are notified of their test result.

What are the benefits of the app?

By advising people of possible exposure to COVID-19, the COVID Alert app helps limit the spread of infection and prevent future outbreaks by prompting individuals to self-monitor for symptoms, perhaps get tested and, if they test positive, take measures to ensure they do not spread the virus further. We all have a role to play in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and the COVID Alert app is a key way we can all contribute to keeping our communities healthy.

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