Lethbridge College launches app to track vaccinations

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -

Lethbridge College has launched a new app to help track vaccination and negative test results for students, staff and visitors.

The app, called LC-Alert, is available to download for free for both Android and iPhone and is being used to stay true to the new Vaccination Exemption Program put in place by the province.

According to Dr. Paula Burns, Lethbridge College's President and CEO, this was the best, and easiest, course of action to ensure everyone's safety.

"What we wanted to do is make sure that we could keep our employees and our students safe as well as stay open so that we could have in-person learning," she told CTV News.

The app is quick and easy to set-up and shows whether you've been vaccinated, how many shots you've had and if you've received a negative test result if unvaccinated.

The app, called LC-Alert, is available to download for free for both Android and iPhone and is being used to stay true to the new Vaccination Exemption Program put in place by the province.

Not only is it fast and convenient, it's required to gain access to the school.

"It's a quick, easy way for us to check and make sure," Burns said.

"This week we're checking at the doors and we will be doing random checks after next week."

STUDENTS HAPPY WITH APP

Many students on campus say they're happy with the measures the college is taking and that they're more than happy to comply if it keeps them safe.

"Making sure that our students are at least negative or vaccinated, it's very important to me," said second year student, Jacob Friend.

"That means I get to go home at the end of the day and not worry about if I'm going to get sick or not."

In addition to ensuring everyone's safety, it's also welcome news that this program can result in a full, in-person school year.

"Being in person is a totally different story," said Ericka Poitras, a student at the college as well as a residential advisor.

"You're able to learn more in my opinion, so it gives you a little bit more sense of community."

LC-Alert also has many other features including support resources for students, campus maps and even a friend walk feature where you can send your location to a friend and they can track you in real time to make sure you get to your destination safely.

For more information about the Lethbridge College Pandemic Response Program, or LC-Alert, you can visit the Lethbridge College Website.