Pennsylvania expands virus app to school-age phone users
COVID Alert PA Mobile App (Pennsylvania Department of Health)
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania’s two-month-old coronavirus exposure notification app can now be used by mobile phone users as young as 13 as health officials work to stop the virus' spread in schools around the state, officials said Monday.
The app, named COVID AlertPa, had been limited to people 18 and over.
"By expanding the age range, middle- and high-school students will be able to add their phones to the fight and help in contact tracing that occurs in their schools if a positive case is identified," state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine told a virtual news conference.
A parent or legal guardian must approve the minor's use of the app, she said.
Some school districts continue to conduct in-person instruction, even though every county has passed the thresholds of new cases where the state Department of Education recommended fully remote instruction.
Pennsylvania is now reporting an average of more than 6,400 new virus cases each day over the last week of November, triple the number from the last week in October. Hospitalizations, deaths and the testing positivity rate are up sharply, as well.
___
RELATED STORIES
PA officials send alert messages to mobile devices regarding pandemic
Pennsylvania's coronavirus-related death toll tops 10,000
Pennsylvania issues stay home advisory, adds 'additional safeguards' further limiting gatherings
___
Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/timelywriter. Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
___
For the latest local news, sports and weather, download the FOX 29 News app.
DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP
Sign up for emails from FOX 29, including our daily Good Day Digest