CoronaMelder app now available for download; Tested in Drenthe, Overijssel

The government's coronavirus warning app CoronaMelder is available to download from Monday, though most of the Netherlands will be unable to use it until at least September 1. In the coming two weeks, the app will be tested in Drenthe and Overijssel.

In Drenthe and Overijssel, GGD employees and people who tested positive for the coronavirus and use CoronaMelder, can use the app to send warnings to other app users who had been in the patient's vicinity. People in the two provinces who receive such a warning can go to be tested at the GGD, even if they don't have any symptoms. In the rest of the Netherlands, with the exception of Schiphol, you can only be tested for Covid-19 if you have symptoms.

CoronaMelder exchanges signals with other phones that have the app installed. This creates a log of smartphones that have been near each other. The exchanged codes can't be traced back to individuals. The app can be downloaded via the App Store for iPhones with iOS 13.5 or higher or the Play Store for Android smartphones with Android 6.0 or higher.