New App Promises to Help Us Safely Return to Large Events

COVID-19 has brought large gathering to a halt, but one company says they have the answer how to bring them back safely. 

Some companies are testing out a new technology called Health Pass. The app is designed to help the public return to large events like ball games and our office buildings. 

The app poses a series of questions to users such as, “Have you come into contact with someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days?” and, “Have you had any of the following symptoms in the last week?”

A QR code is scanned but no personal information is shared with their employer or company using the app. Instead, a thumbs up or thumbs down is shown. 

“This is all automated, one step and secure,” CLEAR CEO and co-founder Caryn Seidman-Becker said. 

Seidman-Becker is CEO of CLEAR, the company that created Health Pass. She says the new app can help us return safely to the workplace by streamlining the process to return. 

“Then when you show up, you can either use your face or your Q-R code, it also happens to take your temperature at the same time because it’s your temporal lobes temperature,” Seidman-Becker said. 

She says adding temperature checks and linking COVID-19 lab tests to the app are important since people could lie on the questionnaire. 

“That’s why the multi-layered system is so important. Because understanding there is no silver bullet, nothing’s foolproof, you have the quiz, then you have compliance and link to lab tests. If a restaurant wanted to say, ‘Hey, you have to be tested every week, the question was, was Susan tested, were the results appropriate,” Seidman-Becker said. 

The company is hoping to clear the way for us to return to work, school and large events with a little peace of mind. 

“When you think about universities, broadway theaters, sports and events, restaurants, office buildings, this solution of identity, trusted identity, merged with health insights ... it’s a here and now, ubiquitous problem and that’s why this platform and CLEAR are such a powerful solution,” Seidman-Becker said. 

Health Pass is a free app. If your employer or a venue you’re visiting decides to use it, they’ll foot the bill for the technology. 

CLEAR says it will never sell or share your information and boasts 10 years experience in protecting your personal data.