Those with smartphones would do well to download Bluezone, a Bluetooth-based app that helps determine if a person has come in contact with a COVID-19 patient, the Authority of Information Technology Application at the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has suggested.

Photo: baodanang.vn

In a document released recently, the authority asked agencies, organisations, associations, training facilities, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses to play an active role in promoting the use of the app. As of 10pm on August 2, it had more than 2 million downloads.

The contact tracing app, developed by tech firm Bkav, uses Bluetooth Low Energy, a wireless personal area network technology, to link with smartphones within a two-meter distance.

If a user is positive for SARS-CoV-2 (known as person F0), health authorities can identify those who had close contact with that person (known as F1), and the system will alert them about the risk of infection.

They will be also provided with instructions on contacting health authorities for assistance.

The app is completely confidential, anonymous, and transparent, as it only stores data on the user’s phone and does not transfer user’s information or locations to the system.

Apart from Bluezone, NCOVI is another app being used in the fight against the disease.

Data collected via the app enables the health sector to learn about cases in need of medical support in the fastest and most effective manner. The app allows access to more than 10,000 users at the same time.

MIC and the Ministry of Health have suggested all Vietnamese people use NCOVI to report their health status, while obtaining up-to-date and relevant information.