Creators of health information app hope it will help in new 'normal' of COVID

A group of health care professionals in Sault Ste. Marie have launched a new COVID-19 app.

The app, called Community Pass, has several features, including helping people to self-screen for symptoms, check in to locations to assist with contact tracing, and store COVID-19 test results.

Dr. Lucas Castellani, an infectious diseases physician in Sault Ste. Marie, and one of the doctors behind the project, says it's important to know this information as the economy reopens.

"We need little initiative like this to try and function as 'normally' as you can," he said.

"So that's why we're really excited about this. Hopefully more people start using this app or this tool so that we can improve functionality and do it all together."

He notes the app is not restricted to people in the Sault Ste. Marie area. It can currently be downloaded from the Mac App Store. It is still pending approval on the Google Play store.

"It's important that individuals have access to their own personal health information, [like] test results and vaccine proof," Castellani said.

"And we want to make it easy for users to have that information, so they can easily access it if they need it for various reasons."

The app is part of a venture called "My Community Health", based in Sault Ste. Marie.

According to the firm's website, they aim to connect health data across multiple platforms for patients, health care providers and communities.