COVIDWISE – Help Virginia Stop COVID-19

More than 2.7 million Virginians are using COVIDWISE Exposure Notifications tools — Join the fight today!

COVIDWISE - Add Your Phone to the COVID Fight

Download Virginia’s free COVIDWISE Exposure Notifications app to help protect your community while protecting your privacy.

Download on the App Store

Supported on iOS 13.5 & 13.6, compatible with iPhone.

Get it on Google Play

Supported on Android Version 6 (API 23) or above.

Test positive for COVID-19 at the doctors office or pharmacy? Notify others today.
VDH cannot verify at-home test results — only PCR and antigens tests.

Why Should You Download COVIDWISE?

More than 1 in 4 Virginians are using Exposure Notifications

COVIDWISE is Virginia’s official Exposure Notifications app that lets you know if you’ve likely been exposed to another COVIDWISE user with a verified positive COVID-19 test result.

  • COVIDWISE is free to download on your smartphone.
  • It is designed to completely protect your privacy.
  • If you test positive for COVID-19, COVIDWISE allows you to quickly and anonymously share your results with other COVIDWISE users.
  • COVIDWISE is connected to the National Key Server, which anonymously shares data with exposure notifications apps from 23 other states.
  • COVIDWISE lets you easily find vaccine information, including pre-registration links, hotline info, FAQs, and more.
  • iPhone users now have two ways to start using COVIDWISE. You can either download the app or you can simply enable Exposure Notifications on your iPhone.
  • Fully vaccinated? COVIDWISE is still a core prevention tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in Virginia. By downloading the free Exposure Notifications app or turning on Exposure Notifications on your iPhone, you’re proactively taking the steps necessary to protect those you’ve been in close contact with who aren’t fully vaccinated. In addition, you have direct access to our COVID-19 call center, useful resources, and FAQs.

How It Works

COVIDWISE uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to quickly notify users who have likely been exposed to COVID-19 so you can reduce the risk of infection for your friends, family, and help Virginia stop the spread.

For iPhones:

COVIDWISE-Step 1
Download COVIDWISE

Download the free COVIDWISE app from the iPhone App Store and follow the app instructions to turn on your Exposure Notifications.

OR

Enable COVIDWISE Express.
To enable COVIDWISE Express, you don’t need to download an app but must have one of the following iOS versions: (iPhone 6s or newer: iOS 13.7 or later; iPhone 5s, 6, or 6 Plus: iOS 12.5).
Go to Settings and Turn On Exposure Notifications Opt-in, select your region as Virginia, and complete the onboarding process as directed.

COVIDWISE-Step 2

Once you opt-in, the Exposure Notifications System will generate an anonymous token for your device. To help ensure these anonymous tokens can’t be used to identify you or your location, they change every 10-20 minutes.

COVIDWISE-Step 3

Your phone and the phones around you will work in the background, without draining your battery or data, to exchange these privacy-preserving anonymous tokens via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. This is a passive process that begins once you opt-in.

COVIDWISE-Step 4

On a daily basis, your phone downloads a list of all the anonymous tokens associated with verified positive COVID-19 test result cases and checks them against the list of anonymous tokens it has encountered in the last 14 days. If you've tested positive, be sure to obtain and submit your Verification Code.

COVIDWISE-Step 5

If there’s a match, COVIDWISE will notify you with further instructions from your public health authority on how to keep you and the people around you safe.

For Android Devices:

COVIDWISE-Step 1
Download COVIDWISE

Download the free COVIDWISE app from the Android Google Play Store and follow the app instructions to turn on your Exposure Notifications.

COVIDWISE-Step 2

The Exposure Notifications System will generate an anonymous token for your device. To help ensure these anonymous tokens can’t be used to identify you or your location, they change every 10-20 minutes.

COVIDWISE-Step 3

Your phone and the phones around you will work in the background, without draining your battery or data, to exchange these privacy-preserving anonymous tokens via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. This is a passive process that begins once you opt-in.

COVIDWISE-Step 4

On a daily basis, your phone downloads a list of all the anonymous tokens associated with verified positive COVID-19 test result cases and checks them against the list of anonymous tokens it has encountered in the last 14 days. If you've tested positive, be sure to obtain and submit your Verification Code.

COVIDWISE-Step 5

If there’s a match, COVIDWISE will notify you with further instructions from your public health authority on how to keep you and the people around you safe.

Did you know you could access the Vaccination Record Request Portal through COVIDWISE? Just click on the Virtual VDH tab within the app.

Did You Test Positive for COVID-19?

Get Your Verification Code To Anonymously Share Your Results with COVIDWISE

Obtaining your Verification Code is quick and easy through the COVIDWISE Verification Portal! If you recently received a verified positive COVID test result at the doctors office or pharmacy, get your Verification Code today so you can anonymously share your results through COVIDWISE, notify others, and help save lives.

VDH cannot verify at-home test results — only PCR and antigens tests.

FAQs

We’ve answered a few frequently asked questions about COVIDWISE

Supporter Toolkit

Your company can join in by sharing COVIDWISE branded content!

Fact Sheets

Learn more about COVIDWISE, COVIDWISE Express, and COVID-19 Text Alerts.

App Privacy Policy

With COVIDWISE, your privacy and personal information are 100% protected.

COVID-19 Resources

Check out these additional resources regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contact Us

Additional questions? Want to support COVIDWISE Email us today!

VDH thanks the following Virginia businesses, organizations and institutions for joining the fight against COVID-19

The Virginia Department of Health does not endorse these businesses or their products.

Virginia's Health is in Our Hands