Preliminary information
Before we go into the heart of the article and actually see how to activate Immuni, I would say that it is only right to provide you with some preliminary information about the app in question, explaining briefly what it is, how it works, what happens after receiving any notifications of exposure, what data it has access to and so on.
As I already mentioned in the introductory jokes of the tutorial, Immuni is the app chosen by the cittàn institutions to monitor the contagion from COVID-19 in the "Bel Paese". Install and use the application (initially developed by the Milanese software house Bending Spoons and then passed into the hands of Sogei and Pago PA) it is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended to help the authorities to identify any new outbreaks and, therefore, to protect their health and that of the community in which they live.
Immuni, in fact, allows individual users to receive notifications on any contacts they have had with people who have tested positive for COVID-19, who can thus take action to avoid the spread of the infection, reporting to the authorities that they have received the notification of exposure and get in touch. quarantine until their health conditions are ascertained.
What does the Immuni app base its operation on? Like all contact tracing and exposure notification apps, it uses the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) which has the advantage of not having an important impact on the autonomy of the device, given the reduced energy consumption. After installing and activating Immuni, the app therefore uses Bluetooth to "communicate" with nearby devices: if these are about a couple of meters away from each other and for a significant period of time (at least half an hour), the devices on which Immuni is installed exchange gods identification codes.
If you fear for your privacy, know that the codes in question are dynamic (they change every hour) e encrypted (therefore they cannot be read by any malicious persons), which makes the app safe and not harmful to privacy. Furthermore, these codes are permanently and automatically deleted from the device every 14 days and, once the health emergency is over, the database containing them should be completely deleted.
Furthermore, these are codes that do not contain any reference to the user: they simply serve to identify the device. The app, in fact, is not able to trace the identity of the users, it does not track movements via GPS, it does not "read" the contacts in its address book and does not require access to its personal information.
The only data that Immuni asks to access and shares are the anonymous identification codes Region and Province of domicile, diagnostic information concerning the correct functioning of the application and any exhibition notifications received. This information is first saved on the device and forwarded via a connessione cipher to servers present on the national territory which are controlled by the Ministry of Health and which are managed by public entities.
Having clarified these aspects concerning the Immuni app, if you have no other doubts I would say that we can actually proceed with its download and activation. If I have any further doubts about the functioning of Immuni, instead, I refer you to the FAQ section on the official website of the app.
How to download Immuni
First, let's find out together how to download Immuni. Basically, all you have to do to proceed is to go to the section dedicated to the application that is present on the Google Play Store, on the HUAWEI AppGallery or on the Apple App Store and proceed directly from there.
- Your Android - open the Play Store o HUAWEI AppGallery, write "Immune" in Campo di Ricerca placed at the top and tap on the first occurrence that is found. If you are reading this article directly from the device on which you intend to install the app, you can go to its section on the Google store by clicking on this link (or this one, for HUAWEI AppGallery). Then press on the green button Install and wait for the installation procedure to start and finish.
- Your iOS - start theApp Store, award your bottone Search placed at the bottom right, write "Immune" in Campo di Ricerca located at the top and tap on the first available occurrence. If you are reading this tutorial directly from the device on which you intend to install the application, you can go to its section on the Apple store by tapping on this link. Then press the button Get, confirms the intention to install Immuni via Face ID, touch ID or code of your Apple ID and wait for the installation procedure to start and finish.
To install Immuni on Android you need a device with Android 6.0 and later and with Google Play Services versione 20.18.13 (at the time of writing, unfortunately, the app is not available for devices on which the Play Store is not installed and does not work properly on some devices that have aggressive multi-tasking and therefore do not allow adequate use of Bluetooth LE for contact tracing); to install the app on iPhone, you need to have a device with iOS 13.5 or later versions.
How is Immuni activated
Now let's get down to business and see how to activate Immuni. After installing the app, start it by pressing on his purple icon appearance in the Home screen or in app menu of your device and browse the various information sheets of the app by pressing the button NEXT three consecutive times.
Then click on the button let's begin, read all the conditions regarding the privacy contained in the screen that has opened, put the check mark on the boxes I declare that I am at least 14 years old e I have read the privacy policy e pulsing sul pulsating NEXT.
Once this is done, specify the Region and Province where you live (after making your choice, press the button NEXT), press the purple button Enable located at the bottom right, tap on the item Attiva present in the box relating to the activation of notifications of exposure to COVID-19 and, after allowing the receipt of notifications by pressing the appropriate wording in the notice that appeared on the screen, press the button I understand and agree twice in a row. By doing so, you will have confirmed that you have read the notices relating to the device protection and false communication.
At this point, the game is done: the Immuni app is active on the device in your possession (in fact you will see the wording "Active service" in the main screen of the same) and will thus be useful for identifying any contacts with people who subsequently tested positive when in contact with people who tested positive for the COVID-19 disease.
Please note that on the Immuni home screen you can find the buttons that allow you to access a section containing useful information to know how you can protect yourself from the coronavirus and how the app works (which you have already read during its configuration).
By going to the settings of Immuni, on the other hand, you can find the option by which to run the dati cartoon (if you want to report your positivity to COVID-19, which can be done through an authorized health worker), I will change the province (if you have to move), etc.
Specifically, if you unfortunately prove positive for COVID-19 or if you receive the notification of exposure from Immuni, after pressing the button Settings (bottom right), select the item Report positivity and provide a contact your healthcare provider, to which you will have to indicate the disposable code displayed on the screen. Then, wait for confirmation from the operator, press the button Continue and follow the instructions you see on the screen to continue verifying the authorization of the code.
The rest of the process is, alas, not very clear in its practical implementation. In any case, you should have the common sense to avoid external contact and wait for tests to be carried out to verify your actual health. Contact the ASL and primary care physician to find out more.
Finally, in case you were wondering: Immuni works even if it is not open in the foreground and even if the phone is not currently connected to the internet. To work, in fact, it is enough that Bluetooth is activated. For more details, please see my guide on how the Immuni app works.
How to activate Immuni
