St Lucia launches "758 Care Alert" app to trace nearby COVID-19 patients

St Lucia's government has launched a mobile application that would trace the nearby coronavirus patients and notify the user about the proximity.

Prime Minister of St Lucia Allen Chastanet shared the information on his official Facebook page and stated the application named "758 Care Alert" is ready to be used for android and apple devices. St Lucian Prime Minister stated that COVID-19 has encouraged people to opt for digital platforms, and digital technologies are being utilised to assist the public-health response to COVID-19 worldwide. He stated that contact tracing is the cornerstone of preventative medicine and a public health strategy to decrease the rate of transmission of the disease.

Furthermore, the St Lucian Prime Minister stated that the phone-based application "758 Care Alert" will provide an avenue where public health officials can more accurately get information on confirmed cases' contacts.

Referring to the application's functions, Allen Chastanet stated that it has two components- a mobile part and a web-based component.

Mobile Application: He explained that the mobile component is downloaded on the mobile device, both android and apple. The app further asks for GPS permission and tracks all the locations in the past fourteen days' records data on the user's phone. The app is claimed to reduce the risk of privacy violations. Web-based component: The location data is submitted to the health authorities' web-based part or contact tracers. This app will improve contact tracing activities by allowing public health officials to efficiently identify exposed contacts, communicate and advise them on testing and quarantine.

The Ministry of Health stated that it looks forward to the cooperation and installation of 758 Care Alert by the general public as it continues to control the spread of the disease. For more information, people can also contact the Office of the Chief Medical Officer or the Epidemiology Unit at 468-5309/468-5317, respectively.