California residents now have one more tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Smartphone users can sign up for CA Notify, an app that sends an alert if the user has been around someone who later tests positive for COVID-19.

CA Notify is not a contact tracing app and it does not track people’s identities or locations. The state has made this new voluntary tool available to provide potential exposure notifications only.

We are in a second wave of the pandemic and cases of COVID-19 are increasing rapidly. As essential health care workers we should continue to do all we can to protect ourselves, our patients and our loved ones from COVID-19. We should all be cleaning our hands often, maintaining six feet distance from others, wearing a mask and following stay-at-home orders.

Masking is an effective way to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and is mandated at AHS. Everyone should be wearing their mask over their nose and mouth and not contributing to the potential exposure of patients and co-workers.

For more information on CA Notify and how to download the tool: