iGA: BeAware App now sending contact tracing notifications

Over the past two weeks, the data of individuals for whom registration through the BeAware Bahrain app is optional has been automatically collected, and compared and matched with locations of active COVID-19 cases, the information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) said in a statement. The app’s contact tracing feature sent push notifications and SMS messages to individuals who may have come into contact with active cases, requesting them to be tested for their own health and safety.

The iGA said that the app’s contact tracing function being able to successfully identify potential cases is a result of the high number of downloads it has enjoyed since its launch in late March. A total of 294,516 downloads have been recorded to date, a clear indication of the public’s awareness of its role in the preservation of public health.

The iGA urges the public to support efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by downloading the free BeAware Bahrain app, available for iOS and Android, via the eGovernment Apps Store (Bahrain.bh/apps).

The app was launched by iGA in line with its commitment to the directives of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander, and First Deputy Prime Minister, to deploy modern technology in combatting COVID-19.

The iGA has also distributed the first batch of e-bracelets connected with the app, which contributed to enhancing the app’s accuracy and its ability to identify suspected cases. The app’s features include a host of real-time local and international statistics and updates, as well as a number of health services and instructions from relevant authorities.