Children and young people will be able to download the StopCOVID NI app from next month, according to Health Minister Robin Swann.
The app, which was launched on July 31, has already been downloaded more than 300,000 times but currently, under 18s cannot download it.
The Health Minister said he is pleased to confirm that they are on course to extend the StopCOVID NI app to children and young people from September.
“My Department has worked with the Children’s Commissioner and the Information Commissioner’s Office to identify a way that younger people can get consent to use it without impacting anonymity.
“This is very good news – especially with school, colleges and universities re-starting.”
He has urged everyone who has not yet downloaded the app to do so as soon as possible.
He added: “Passing the 300,000 mark is a great achievement in a short space of time but we have to maintain the momentum. The more people get on board, the more effective the app will be in breaking chains of transmission of the virus.
“It only takes a few minutes to download it and this simple step could prevent you from spreading Covid-19 to your family and friends, and reduce the chances of another lockdown.”
The StopCOVID NI app protects the person’s identity and works alongside the telephone based contact tracing operation to help limit virus spread.
DoH say the integration across the island of Ireland is also working well, with the 160 Northern Ireland ‘diagnosis keys’ being passed across the border to health authorities in the Republic of Ireland and 1,042 ‘diagnosis keys’ being passed back in return.
Dan West, Department of Health Chief Digital Information Officer, said: “We are continuing to work to improve the app, and have been receiving helpful feedback from users. We released an updated version of the app last week, reflecting the feedback, and correcting all minor issues reported by users. We will continue to respond to the public’s feedback, and very much welcome it.”