Care 19 users concerned over accuracy; developers release new version

The state Health Department partnered with a Fargo tech company to create the Care 19 app, which helps users track their movements.

However, some people say there are malfunctions and flaws in the tracker.

The contact tracing app is designed to track individuals movements and record where they have been in case they test positive for the virus, they could pull up the app and tell tracers where they have been.

Many people are seeing an issue with the GPS tracking system. Either its recording too much data, or none at all.

Care 19 was created in a time of urgency.

"It was rushed to market just because there was a need and the contact tracking and tracking were so urgent for the state," said Vern Dosch, contact tracing facilitator.

The first version included many complications.

"We knew that it wouldn't be perfect. And that initial version 1.0 the very first version was not as accurate as we wanted,” said Dosch.

One user said the app "completely missed stops at heavily populated areas...and they were in a large building for 30 to 45 minutes and nothing registered."

"The user was right, the accuracy wasn't as good as it needed to be," said Dosch.

Another claims they "went to work, the grocery store, and green house and didn't show they went anywhere at all."

Wednesday night, proud crowd, the creator of the app, launched a new version, fixing the old issues.

"It has already been a factoring in doing our job of tracing and that was the whole goal of this," said Dosch.

Pinging the virus around the state, one trace at a time.

On Friday, Apple and Google will be releasing their app, which uses bluetooth to notify people who have come into contact with others who have the coronavirus.

North Dakota will then be releasing the Care 19 Collection app that can be used to sync to the apple and Google tracing.