APHL to build national COVID-19 server using Apple and Google's API, hosted by Microsoft
What you need to know
- The Association of Public Health Laboratories has announced an ambitious new project.
- It says it plans to build a national exposure notification server to securely hold data.
- It will use Apple and Google's API and be hosted by Microsoft.
The Association of Public Health Laboratories has announced an ambitious new plan to build a national COVID-19 exposure notification server, which will run securely on Apple and Google's API and be hosted by Microsoft.
In a blog post yesterday the association stated:
The APHL says that it is "taking a major step to support public health agencies that want to provide focused, privacy-preserving, and user-controlled exposure notifications at scale using the Apple | Google Exposure Notifications System." It says its presence on the project will give the US public health community "a capable and accountable partner for hosting key components of this groundbreaking technology."
FAQ: What is the Google-Apple COVID-19 (coronavirus) Exposure Notifications system?
The APHL will take advantage of Apple and Google's secure, anonymous exposure notification system:
By hosting the keys of those who have received exposure notifications nationally, the system can eliminate duplication and allow for notifications across state borders, a severe limitation of creating apps at the state level.
Microsoft will support the group by hosting a server, based on an open-source reference design created by Google Cloud:
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As with current exposure notification alerts, only users who download an app from a public health agency, and voluntarily opt-in can receive notifications.
APHL president Bill Whitmar said:
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