After testing at the University of California at Berkeley last month, the state of California will get its first COVID-19 tracing app, CA Notify, starting this Thursday.

In a tweet today, California Governor Gavin Newsom thanked Apple Inc. and Google LLC for partnering with the state, adding that the technology is opt-in. If people choose to use the app and they are exposed to someone who’s tested positive for the virus, they will receive a notification.

“As we work together to fight the rise in cases in California, exposure notifications will help slow the spread of COVID-19 and put our neighbors’ health first,” tweeted Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook. “Thank you @GavinNewsom & @Google for helping bring CA Notify to Californians while putting privacy at the very center.”

Given that California is home to some of the world’s largest tech companies, the state has been late in the game to introduce such an app. Apple and Google launched their COVID-19 contact tracing technology back in May, and so far 17 states have signed up, with California becoming the 18^th.

For it to work, users must have a device with iPhone with iOS 14.2 or a phone running Android 6.0 or above. The technology uses Bluetooth to detect automatically another phone that has come into contact with it. If one of those users later tests positive for COVID-19, the Department of Public Health will provide a code that can be sent to the phone, which will alert those who they’ve come into contact with within the last 14 days. No other information will be sent from phone to phone.

Health authorities will also be able to understand just how long the individuals were close to each other and how close they came. To receive a notification, the state has said that a person will have had to be within six feet of the other person and that close to them for at least 15 minutes.

Android users will need to download the app at the Google Play Store, while iOS users can get the app straight from their phone’s settings.

Photo: Chad Davis/Flickr