Emerson COVID-19 symptom tracker down due to IT issue

The+green+checkmark+community+members+used+to+display+after+completing+Emersons+symptom+tracker+to+gain+access+to+campus+buildings.

Lizzie Heintz

The green checkmark community members used to display after completing Emerson’s symptom tracker to gain access to campus buildings.

By Diana Bravo, Copyeditor/Photographer

Emerson’s daily symptom tracker was down earlier in the morning due to a technical issue, meaning community members were being allowed into campus buildings without completing their regular self-test for COVID-19 symptoms.

The college’s IT department informed the community that the app was running again at 10:49 a.m. The app was down for approximately two hours.

A completed symptom check is normally required for entrance to all Emerson buildings. But the college’s IT department re-enabled all building access for the day, according to a community-wide email sent Monday morning. IT applied this access to all community members regardless of whether or not they completed the check prior to the app failing. 

The tracker’s host, Modo Labs, is investigating the issue. 

Despite the lack of a symptom check, Assistant Vice President for Campus Life Erik Murrisepp advised community members to monitor their symptoms in the meantime in accordance with the Massachusetts symptom check online tool. 

While the app is down, please continue to monitor how you are feeling and if you may be experiencing any COVID related symptoms prior to leaving your home or residence hall room,” Murrisepp wrote in an email.

Monday’s technical issue comes less than a month after the college tied the symptom tracker to student, faculty, and staff IDs. That move stopped community members from having to show security guards their symptom tracker results manually at each entrance. 

 

This story was updated at 11:18 a.m. with information about the app being back online after an email was sent to the community regarding the issue.