photo by: Nick Krug/Journal-World File Photo

A bus whirs by as University of Kansas students wait along Jayhawk Boulevard on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016.

The University of Kansas will serve as part of a pilot program for a health verification app designed to allow communities to reopen safely from the COVID-19 pandemic while protecting community members’ health information.

The app, called CVKey, was created through an organization founded by KU alumnus and Google Earth founder Brian McClendon.

Users can self-assess their health status and potential COVID-19 symptoms or exposure while at home, and then the app generates a QR code that verifies the user’s eligibility to enter buildings on KU’s campus. It also allows them to know that other app users have done the same and avoids having to fill out a paper health evaluation form when entering a campus building.

During the pilot, the app will only be available to KU faculty, staff and students who have been approved to work in campus buildings — which currently consists almost entirely of those performing essential research functions.

“As we look to reopen parts of our campus, we will look for opportunities to minimize risk by providing members of our campus community with a quick and easy method of assessing their health status based on the most up-to-date public health guidelines,” KU Chancellor Douglas Girod said in a news release. “This mobile app is one tool for doing that, and we’re grateful to Brian and his outstanding team for their assistance.”

photo by: Contributed/CVKey

A screenshot from the CVKey app, which was designed by KU alumnus and Google Earth founder Brian McClendon to track COVID-19 health symptoms while protecting the public’s right to privacy.

McClendon, also a research professor in the KU School of Engineering, said in a news release that he was proud to have his alma mater as a partner in testing the technology.

“Reducing the spread of COVID-19 is a top global priority, and we don’t want to risk our community’s health or compromise privacy during the process of reopening,” he said. “In developing this privacy-first technology, we’re fortunate to have KU as a partner. The feedback from KU will be invaluable in helping us scale this solution for local communities around the world.”

McClendon has comprised a council of experts to consult on the project, many of whom have connections to Kansas. Those experts include former Kansas Governor and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius; Allen Greiner, a KU Medical Center professor; and KU IT director and distinguished engineering professor Perry Alexander.

“We need creative solutions that balance public health needs with the priority to reopen society during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sebelius said in the KU news release. “I applaud the efforts of KU and CVKey Project to develop a tool that complements other measures — such as testing, contact tracing and social distancing — that organizations can use in their fight against COVID-19.”

In a message to KU faculty, university Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said use of the CVKey app was not mandatory for those approved to work in campus buildings, and that the screenings using the app would begin June 8.

“Not only does this effort help ensure each member of the KU community is current on the latest known symptoms of COVID-19, it also helps each member play an active role in protecting the health and well-being of everyone on our campuses,” she said.