As of 11.30am on 2 March, more than 30 million smartphone users had downloaded Bluezone, a locally-developed app that helps determine if a person has come in contact with a COVID-19 patient.

The figure is 11,090 higher than that reported on 1 March, and over 5.2 million higher than that on 28 January when the 3^rd wave of COVID-19 community infections hit Viet Nam.

Da Nang secured its top position in Viet Nam in the rate of smartphone users downloading the app with 47,937 users (making up about 42.3 % of Da Nang’s total population). It is followed by the northern province of Hai Duong with 649,362 users (38.08% of the province’s population), the capital city of Ha Noi with 2,890,736 (35.89%), the northern province of Quang Ninh with 454,674 (34.44%) and Ho Chi Minh City with 2,749,830 (30.58%).

According to the Authority of Information Technology Application under Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications, over 30 million Bluezone users can make online health declarations on this app.

After declaration, users’ data and information will be updated for the anti-epidemic centers and medical facilities across Viet Nam to manage quickly and accurately.

In addition to making online health declarations on this app, users can inform authorised offices of cases suspected to be infected with COVID-19 through this app.

In the coming time, this app will perfect its QR code-based check-in/ check-out function in a bid to significantly enhance its efficiency.

Currently, the pandemic has been basically brought under control across Viet nam. However, the public across Viet Nam are recommended to continue installing and using Bluezone continuously to help trace any possible contacts with COVID-19 patients accurately.

Developed by the Bkav Electronic JSC, the app uses Bluetooth Low Energy, a wireless personal area network technology, to link smartphones within a two-meter distance.

This app helps health authorities quickly track those who had close contact with virus carriers, and alert them about the risk of infection.

The app is completely confidential, anonymous, and transparent, as it only stores data on the user’s phone and does not transfer a user’s information or locations to the system.

By B.T - Translated by M.D