COVID Alert app now operational in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan residents now can use the Canadian government’s COVID Alert app.

On Sept. 2, Premier Scott Moe said the provincial government was moving ahead with its plan to use the app. That plan came to fruition Friday.

In a media release, the federal government announced people in Saskatchewan now can sign up for the free app, which helps users know if they may have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

Saskatchewan joins New Brunswick, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador as the provinces where the app can be used.

“The COVID Alert app is a tool that Saskatchewanians can use to help protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities from COVID-19,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in the release. “As more people use it, we can slow the spread of the virus and help prevent future waves.

“We will continue to work with other provinces and territories to bring their health authorities on board so as many Canadians as possible can benefit from the app.”

The app has been downloaded more than 2.5 million times nationwide since its launch at the end of July. It can be downloaded free from the App Store or the Google Play Store.

A user of the app who tests positive for COVID-19 receives a one-time key from their province’s health authority that they enter into the app. COVID Alert then tells other users who may have been in close contact with that person and gives them advice on the next steps to take.

According to the federal government, more than 260 people have entered their one-time key after testing positive to give that information to other users.