The context
In the autumn of 2020, Belgium had to roll out a national COVID contact-tracing app within weeks — distributed by Sciensano, the Belgian public-health institute — under the scrutiny of both citizens and data-protection authorities.
The goal was clear: help break chains of infection without ever collecting anyone's location or identity. A sensitive, closely watched piece of public-health software, to be shipped fast and without a misstep.
A 100% Belgian design
Devside handled the production of the app, alongside Ixor, with the research teams of UCLouvain (Axel Legay, ICTEAM) and KU Leuven (Bart Preneel), and an independent security audit by Nviso. A collective effort in which researchers, engineers, lawyers, doctors and companies moved forward together.
Technically, Coronalert runs on a decentralised architecture (the DP-3T and TCN protocols) built on Apple and Google's Exposure Notification framework, with Bluetooth proximity detection. At-risk contacts are computed on the phone, never on a central server — privacy by design.
Shipping fast, at country scale
After several weeks of testing, the app launched on 30 September 2020. On 19 November it gained direct notification of test results; on 6 January 2021 it connected to the European gateway and became interoperable with around twenty countries.
Delivering a product like this at that speed, at national scale and under that level of scrutiny, was as much a feat of engineering as of coordination.
Results & recognition
Coronalert was downloaded by nearly 2.4 million Belgians — around 20% of the population — and connected to the European network. On 4 December 2020 it won an Agoria e-gov Award, praised for its innovation, collaboration and cost-effectiveness.
Today the app is documented on Wikipedia — the mark of a public digital project that became a reference. For Devside, a clear demonstration: shipping a sensitive product fast and at scale, while keeping privacy front and centre.
“Coronalert uses European protocols, but its design is 100% Belgian. Scientists, politicians, lawyers, engineers, doctors and companies all worked hand in hand.”