LANSING (WXYZ) — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Monday the launch of its COVID Alert text messaging outreach.
The texting system aims to increase awareness of the state's new exposure notification mobile app called MI COVID Alert, while encouraging residents to download it, a release states.
Alert messages became active in December. Some residents may have already received messages, which were sent to people based on publicly available resident contact information.
“We want Michiganders to know this is a legitimate communication from the department as we encourage them to take this easy step to protect themselves and others by downloading the MI COVID Alert,” said Robert Gordon, director of MDHHS. “The more of us download the app, the safer we’ll be until a vaccine is available to the broader population.”
The text messages will include a short link to healthymi.site/alert4, which will direct them to the MI COVID Alert landing page.
The app, which is free, has already been downloaded almost half a million times.
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