Health Canada decommissioned the COVID Alert app effective Friday after conducting a thorough review. .“While the pandemic is not over, the decision to decommission COVID Alert comes after careful consideration following discussions with provinces and territories on the ongoing evolution of public health programming that varies in each jurisdiction,” said Health Canada in a Friday statement. .“Furthermore, over the last few months, with less PCR testing across Canada, fewer one-time keys (OTK) were being issued and therefore fewer notifications of potential exposures were sent to users, resulting in lower app usage.”.The statement said the exposure notification service is disabled, and people can delete the app from their cellphones. .COVID Alert launched in July 2020, when COVID-19 cases were increasing in Canada and around the world. The statement said COVID Alert “provided an additional tool to help limit the spread of the virus.”.According to the statement, more than 6.9 million Canadians downloaded the app. It said more than 57,000 people who tested positive for COVID-19 notified others of potential exposure. .Health Canada said it has become “better equipped to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and reduce pressure on the health care system.”.“We encourage everyone to stay aware of COVID-19 activity in their local area, stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations, including getting booster doses, and continue to take personal precautions including staying home if sick, improving ventilation and continuing to wear masks when with people in shared indoor or crowded spaces,” it said. .COVID Alert was designed to notify users who had been in close contact with each other if they tested positive for COVID-19. People could report COVID-19 cases, working faster than manual contact tracing. .Those who tested positive for COVID-19 with a PCR test obtained an OTK from provincial or territorial public health officials. They could enter the OTK into the app to trigger notifications. .COVID Alert cost $20 million, with $15.9 million spent on promotion and advertising and another $3.5 million on developing and maintaining it.
