Thousands download COVID-19 tracking app made by Duke students

As more and more people begin to go back out, the creators believe it’s extremely important to help control the spread.

“The fight against COVID is largely a collaborative effort and we need to be really united in this effort to make a difference,” Duke freshman Shehzan Maredia said. "We believe in the cause. That's why we're doing this."

App developed by Duke students traces contacts of coronavirus patients

It received 20,000 downloads in just two days.

According to Maredia, they received official endorsement from cities like Pittsburgh, counties like Allegheny County, Pa., hospitals, educational institutions like CMU and letters of intent from the Duke Global Health, University of Alabama-Birmingham and more.

“When your phone is outside, and if someone else is running NOVID and close by, they try to pair to each other the same way headphones would try to pair without you having to do anything,” Loh said to explain how it works.

While in use, the app generates a random ID. Without using any GPS tracking or any stored personal information, the ultrasound sensing is used to confirm contact.

“So that, at any point, if somebody presses 'Report Positive Test,' then some alerts can go out to tell other people someone just self-reported a positive test. Within the time that they were possibly contagious, they spent at least 15 minutes near you,” added Loh.

This resource encourages more people to report results and help others make better decisions on whether to visit someone more susceptible to COVID-19.

“Right now is just a very crucial time to start using NOVID, and let this be a necessary precaution we take as we start to open up our states,” Maredia added.

The app’s creators worked with health organizations like the CDC and the National Institutes of Health to help guide them through this process.