Campus ID News
Card, mobile credential, payment and security
FEATURED
PARTNERS
OregonStateU 1

Oregon State pilots contact tracing app ahead of statewide deployment

Andrew Hudson   ||   Nov 30, 2020  ||   ,

Oregon State University has partnered with the Oregon Health Authority to test a smartphone-based contact tracing system that notifies users about possible exposure to COVID-19. OSU is the latest in a number of university campuses to serve as a testing ground for a potentially statewide COVID notification app.

According to a report from The Register-Guard, Oregon State University faculty, staff and students can all elect to participate in the Oregon Exposure Notifications pilot before the app is made available to smartphone users across the state. OSU is following a now familiar trend of universities offering their campuses for COVID notification app pilots, following similar initiatives at Michigan State University and UC Davis.

The exposure notification system alerts users when they've been in close proximity to someone who may have exposed them to COVID-19. The system does not replace traditional contact tracing efforts, nor does it collect, share or reveal user locations or identity.

Apple and Google have collaborated to develop the privacy software that protects app participants. The COVID notification app disguises users' identity by generating a random sequence of numbers that change every few minutes. Then using Bluetooth, anytime a phone detects another nearby phone that's also opted into the program, the two will exchange the randomly generated numbers.

The Exposure Notifications system is embedded in Apple devices running iOS 13.7 or later, while Android devices require an app download. If a user reports that they have tested positive for COVID-19, the system will alert each user they made sustained contact with over the preceding 14 days.

Participants in the Oregon State pilot program who receive an exposure notification will also be invited to get a free follow-up COVID-19 test through TRACE-OSU, the university’s COVID-19 testing program.

Since launch, the Exposure Notifications system has amassed nearly 5,000 installs across the OSU campus community. The pilot program is expected to last four to six weeks, and provided the system is found to be helpful for public health efforts, there will be plans for statewide implementation.

Related Posts

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

RECENT ARTICLES

AppleWatch presented to door access reader

Revolutionizing campus life: The future of higher education mobile credentials

By Willem Ryan, Alert Enterprise Campus activity may be dwindling down this time of year, but security threats aren’t going anywhere. There have been long-existing security gaps in the educational systems, allowing hackers and criminals to exploit them with ease. According to the U.S. Department of Education, there were 38,059 criminal offenses reported on more […]
Xavier University video screen with CampusIDNews Chat series
Apr 12, 24 /

Xavier University shows off card program and aux services during NACCU tour

In this episode of the CampusIDNews Chat series, we talk with Jennifer Paiotti, Associate Director, Business Operations, Auxiliary services, at Xavier University. At the 2024 NACCU Annual Conference, she will share her campus ID program, its ties to other auxiliary enterprises, and how they are moving to mobile-only with their campus credentials. Whether you are […]
dorm room door lock with key
Apr 10, 24 / ,

Allegion helps campuses eliminate brass keys with electronic access control

But What About the Keys?…An Interview with Allegion In a recent NACCU video interview, Allegion’s Jeff Koziol shared his vision for migrating campuses from brass keys to electronic locks. This will be the subject of his conference presentation at the upcoming NACCU Annual Conference. “Many students have never held a physical key,” says Koziol. “Yet […]
CIDN logo reversed
The only publication dedicated to the use of campus cards, mobile credentials, identity and security technology in the education market. CampusIDNews – formerly CR80News – has served more than 6,500 subscribers for more than two decades.
Twitter

Attn: friends in the biometrics space. Nominations close Friday for the annual Women in Biometrics Awards. Take five minutes to recognize a colleague or even yourself. http://WomenInBiometrics.com

Feb. 1 webinar explores how mobile ordering enhanced campus life, increased sales at UVA and Central Washington @Grubhub @CBORD

Load More...
Contact
CampusIDNews is published by AVISIAN Publishing
315 E. Georgia St.
Tallahassee, FL 32301
www.AVISIAN.com[email protected]
Use our contact form to submit tips, corrections, or questions to our team.
©2024 CampusIDNews. All rights reserved.