Apple added the Exposure Notifications API in the iOS 13.5 iPhone update with the exposure loggings, just like it has been released on Android. If you want, you can switch it off. Here’s how to do so:
- To start, open Settings
- Select Exposure Notifications, if you are on iOS 13.7 or above. If not, select General privacy, and then Exposure Notifications.
- If you see Turn On Exposure notifications, then the notifications haven’t been activated. If they are, then you have an app from your local health authority installed. Simply delete that app and you’re done.
You will be notified when apps that can support this feature are available. Simply turn off Availabillity Alerts.
How this works
This works if you have a health tracking app installed. If you do, your iPhone will send out random Bluetooth beacons to devices around you. It will collect beacons from phones that you have been around for at least 10 minutes.
If someone around you has marked themselves as Infected via their health tracking app, your phone will tell you that you may have been exposed to Covid-19.
Note: This works if you have walked near them in the last 14 days.