OMAHA - Creighton University students will be able to use their smartphones to help reopen their campus.

The new app will be part of a larger effort to return students to campus.The concern over COVID-19 forced many Creighton students to leave campus over the summer, now Creighton officials plan to use an app to help students with a safe return to campus later this summer.

Construction work is the major activity going on right now on the Creighton campus. Officials at CU have also been working setting up the Campus Clear App, the app is for self-screening and basically asks students, facility, and staff how they feel today.

“It’s going to be a very simple endeavor of I feel fine, I’m good to go, and then the app issues what we call a fast pass. So, it gives you the ability to display your phone and walk freely around the campus. We’ll have individual screening sights in high traffic areas to make sure people are cognizant of their symptoms and how they’re feeling in kind of protecting the community,” said Ryan Cameron, with Creighton University.

If students don’t feel well, officials can get help to them if they need it.

Just like the teamwork you see on the court with the Blue Jay basketball team. All students will have to work together to make sure everyone is safe.

“In order for us to prevent the disease all of us have to take some precautions,” said student Paris Rafiei.

Other colleges and universities across the country also plan to use the Campus Clear App.

We’re in the early phases of launching and so far we’ve had over 200 colleges and universities participate and that number continues to grow just about every ten or 20 minutes, we have another university sign up to participate,” said Cameron.

Students returning to campus using the Clear App can use their smartphones for email, texting, and for keeping each other safe.

The Campus Clear App is free and was developed by researchers from Creighton and the State University Of New York at Stony Brook.