Virginia uses CARES Act funding to launch COVID-19 tracing app

Virginia is using federal coronavirus relief funding to launch a phone application that allows users to track whether they have interacted with people who have contracted COVID-19, Gov. Ralph Northam said Wednesday.

The COVIDWISE application cost $229,000 to develop and launch and about $29,000 monthly to operate. The state also will run a marketing campaign to spread awareness of the app by purchasing internet, TV, print and talk radio advertisements. The Northam administration did not immediately respond to a request from The Center Square about how much money would be spent on the advertisements and where that money would come from.