Global Pandemic App Watch (GPAW)

Israel

HaMagen

History and Context of HaMagen

HaMagen (Hebrew for “The Shield”) tracks your close encounters using Bluetooth and cross-references those contacts with GPS information. When a user tests positive, an alerts is sent to their close contacts along with the time and location of the encounter. Users can then confirm or reject the encounter as a significant contact based on what they were doing at that time. This element is likely supposed to reduce false positive alerts since users can judge for themselves if the app properly registered a close contact. Once an alert is confirmed, users are referred to the Ministry of Health website for information on how to proceed. Hamagen is supported by involuntary contact tracing using cell phone location in the Shin Bet database. Shin Bet is Israel’s internal security office, similar to the FBI.

App-Specific Legislation

There is no known app-specific legislation at this time.

Stats and Facts

Downloads:

1.5 Million

Uptake (% of population):

16.7

Developers:

Ministry of Health

Technology:

GPS + Bluetooth

Architecture:

Decentralized

Voluntariness:

Voluntary

Alerts or Notifications Sent:

No Data

Implementation and Testing:

Implemented

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Disclaimer

The information available has been gathered from news reports,  publicly available documents, and scholarly literature. Its accuracy is therefore subject to change. The information contained on this page is not globally comprehensive as the research team is constrained by language and geographical barriers.  Please use this information responsibly and contact us with any questions.

COVID-19 Update in Israel

Total Cases: 416584
New Cases: 4186 per Day
Total Deaths: 3307
New Deaths: 15 per Day
Last Updated: December 31, 2020