To: OSU Community Members
From: Dan Larson, OSU COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Vice Provost for Student Affairs
November 12, 2020
OSU Community Members,
Oregon State University is collaborating with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to conduct a pilot test of OHA’s Oregon Exposure Notifications, a smartphone-based system developed by Google and Apple that sends users an alert if, based on Bluetooth connections to other devices, they have potentially been in close contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19.
This OHA tool is intended to provide a much-needed technological aid for the effective containment of the virus. When you join this OHA pilot, exclusive to OSU community members, you will be taking action to help protect yourself, your friends, your family and your community. You also will be an important early adopter of a tool that we hope will make a positive impact on addressing the coronavirus pandemic throughout Oregon and beyond.
Quick facts about Oregon Exposure Notifications:
- The technology has been created with privacy as a primary consideration. The tool does not collect or store personal information or location information.
- If you opt in to Oregon Exposure Notifications, you will receive an anonymous alert notice if you have been in close contact with someone confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19.
- If you receive an exposure notification, you can get a free COVID-19 test at OSU in Corvallis, Bend or Newport to help understand your risk.
- If you test positive for COVID-19 yourself, you will have the option to anonymously notify other users of the notification system, who have been in close contact with you, that they may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Collectively, we have the power to help slow the spread of COVID-19 by joining this effort. Your participation is critical to our shared efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Please opt in and help protect our community.
To learn more or to join the pilot, visit https://beav.es/enx.
Thanks in advance for your participation.
Dan Larson
OSU COVID-19 Response Coordinator
Vice Provost of Student Affairs