11 March 2021
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
UCC has developed a COVID-19 Tracker and Day Pass App to help protect its students, staff and wider community.
Upon the checking of COVID-19 symptoms the app generates a pass for on campus attendance. The app is not compulsory, but staff and students are strongly encouraged to download and use the app ahead of planned visits to campus.
The app was initially developed by Dr Michael Byrne, Head of UCC Student Health, in conjunction with UCC’s IT Services, to enable UCC’s healthcare students to safely attend their clinical work placements. Those students used the app daily to feed back on their symptoms/lack of symptoms, with UCC Student Health monitoring the data and reacting appropriately as and where necessary.
“The feedback from this cohort of students and their placement settings was overwhelmingly positive, prompting the decision to now roll this app out to all UCC staff and students, in keeping with the HSE’s health and safety guidelines” commented Dr Michael Byrne.
UCC is the only university in Ireland to have an app of this kind to help protect its students, staff and wider community. “This is another layer to help protect our students, staff and community during these anxious times.” commented Dr Byrne.
App users are asked to complete a daily self-check of symptoms on the app, in order to generate a pass for on-site attendance.
Where no COVID-19 symptoms are present, the app will generate a green pass indicating that it is safe for you to attend campus.
Where COVID-19 symptoms are present, the app will generate a red pass advising against attending campus. The app is available for desktop and both android and mobile devices.
Dr. Michael Byrne, Head of Student Health Service, UCC/ Co-Cordinator UCCHealth Matters Photo by Tomas Tyner, UCC.
