What is PennOpen Pass?

PennOpen Pass is a daily symptom and exposure tracker designed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading within the Penn community. After a one-time enrollment process, users complete 3 questions on potential exposure and symptoms before leaving their residence for the day. Users who report no symptoms and no recent contact with someone who may have COVID-19 get a Green Pass. Users who receive a Red Pass are directed to assistance and follow up tailored to their individual needs by a team of clinicians.

What is the purpose of PennOpen Pass?

PennOpen Pass is part of Penn’s strategy to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading within the UPHS community. The purpose of this program is to:

1. Identify individuals whose health may be at risk or may pose health risks to others,
2. Support those individuals with guidance around information on COVID-19 testing, self-isolation, contact tracing, and medical care, and
3. Monitor trends related to COVID-19 to enable timely allocation of resources for the health and safety of UPHS personnel.

Who is eligible for PennOpen Pass?

The following user groups are currently supported to use the tool:

• Healthcare personnel and any other staff with UPHS credentials
• Vendors and contractors with UPHS credentials

How often do Penn Medicine/UPHS staff need to use PennOpen Pass?

• Regardless of vaccination status, anyone with UPHS credentials who comes on campus must complete PennOpen Pass on a daily basis. Early action can prevent a single person from spreading the virus.
• Only personnel with a Green Pass are to enter Penn Medicine buildings. Persons with a Red Pass may not report for work until they have received further guidance from the Red Pass Management team.

When should symptom checks be completed?

You should complete your symptom check before the start of your work shift, or if you are calling out sick that day. If you are reporting to a University building or Penn Medicine facility, your symptom check must be completed before you depart for campus. This will give time for clinicians to respond to your needs and give you time to change your plans. If required, you must notify your supervisor or other points of contact about your symptoms or potential exposure.

I am a vendor or contractor coming to campus. How often do I need to use PennOpen Pass?

Vendors or contractors are required to complete symptom checks using PennOpen Pass on the days they visit a Penn Medicine facility. If you are a vendor or contractor who routinely reports to a Penn Medicine campus, you should plan to use PennOpen Pass daily. Daily tracking is critical to reducing the potential spread of COVID-19 as it will enable your health care provider to act quickly if COVID-19 is detected.

How long is my Green Pass valid?

Your Green Pass is valid through 3:59 a.m. every day. To generate a new pass, perform a symptom check after 4:00 a.m. by logging in at PennOpen Pass.

I am returning to campus after working remotely 100% of the time. When should I start my daily symptom checks?

It is most important to complete your daily symptom check on the day you are returning to campus before you arrive on campus.

HCP and others with UPHS credentials are expected to follow the Principles of Responsible Conduct in their use of PennOpen Pass. The Principles of Responsible Conduct articulate the basic expectations that should guide each of us in our work, and conduct of activities, for the Health System with the highest standards of integrity and ethics.

I am going back to working or learning remotely 100% of the time after being on campus. For how long should I do daily symptom checks?

Individuals going back to working or learning remotely 100% of the time after being on campus should perform one week of daily symptom checks following their last day on campus.

What are the Principles of Responsible Conduct?

Faculty and staff are expected to follow the Principles of Responsible Conduct in their use of PennOpen Pass. The Principles of Responsible Conduct articulate the basic expectations that should guide each of us in our work, and conduct of activities, for the University and Health System with the highest standards of integrity and ethics.

Is time spent using PennOpen Pass compensable?

The time spent using PennOpen Pass is not compensable work time for hourly paid staff under law.

It should be noted that it takes less than 30 seconds to click on the daily PennOpen Pass prompt, complete the questions, submit the answers and receive your daily pass.

How do I complete PennOpen Pass on days I cannot use electronic devices due to religious observance?

If you are not coming to campus, please monitor yourself for symptoms and potential exposure. If you receive a Red Pass or experience symptoms or potential exposure, contact the PennOpen Pass Call Center at 215-573-6355 to seek guidance on next steps.

How do I report a Health System entity-specific concern of the use of PennOpen Pass? (For example, someone who purposely clears their Red Pass and goes to work after being instructed to quarantine by Red Pass Management)

Please use the COVID-19 Safety Concern Submission form and the entity responsible for complaint area will receive the details of the complaint and respond within 48 hours.

If you are unable to complete the form, please contact Penn’s Reporting and Help Line, 215-P-COMPLY.

How do faculty, staff, and postdocs report a health or safety concern about the use of PennOpen Pass?

Please use the COVID-19 Safety Concern Submission form and the entity responsible for complaint area will receive the details of the complaint and respond within 48 hours.

If you are unable to complete the form, please contact Penn’s Reporting and Help Line, 215-P-COMPLY.

• Call 215-726-6759, or make an online report at https://www.upenn.edu/215pcomply

What happens if I get a Green Pass?

Users who report no symptoms and no recent contact with someone who may have COVID-19 get a Green Pass. This means you are “cleared” for the day. Individuals reporting to campus may be asked to show their Green Pass.

What happens if I get a Red Pass as a result of my answers to the screening questions?

Users who do report symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19, will receive additional questions which might result in receiving a Red Pass. The Red Pass means you are “not cleared”. Users who receive a Red Pass will be provided follow up instructions via email on PCR testing and/or to include when their isolation is completed and their timeline for the release of their red pass. It is important to read and follow the instructions provided in the email.

1. Self-isolate at home and do not go to work in-person.
2. Stay home, wear a face covering, and avoid contact with others - including those you live with.
3. Contact your manager to let them know about your absence from work.
4. Review the follow-up email.

I have a Green Pass but I am sick/feel unwell.

Do not come to work if you are sick or feel unwell, even if you have a Green Pass. Follow Penn Medicine guidance for sick time and do not work until you are 24 hours fever-free, with improving respiratory symptoms, without nausea, vomiting or rash. Contact your health care provider for car, and contact your entity Occupational Health Service with work clearance questions. PennOpen Pass is a screening tool to help identify people who need COVID-19 testing or quarantine advice to reduce the risk of an outbreak. It does not screen you for other illnesses. If you have other symptoms you may be contagious with something else.

Where do I go for testing? Do I need an order?

Red Pass holders receive guidance via email on arranging PCR testing through a Penn Medicine site. If employees wish to test at Chester County Hospital, the employee should contact the Penn Open Pass call center at 215-573-6355 to assist in arranging a test. You do NOT need to speak to a clinician to get a test. You must get a negative PCR test to return to work, negative rapid (antigen) tests are not acceptable.

When you go for testing:

• wear a face covering
• practice physical distancing

How will I get my results?

What should I do while I wait for my results?

• Do not go to work while waiting for your test results.
  • It is important that you stay home and avoid contact with others, including the people you live with.
  • If you must leave your home, wear a face covering and practice physical distancing.
• Staff should use their normal call out procedures, and notify their managers.

How do I report my time?

For UPHS employees, refer to the UPHS Human Resources COVID-19 Guidelines (you must be on the UPHS network or logged in via VPN to access this resource). If your supervisor has questions, please ask them to contact the HR Representative for your area.

What will happen if I test positive for COVID-19?

Employees will receive guidance on what to do next and their expected date of return to work or class via an email from PennOpen Pass. Please share the detailed guidance with your supervisor so that they can support you as needed.

Will contact tracing be conducted?

Contact tracing can help reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread. You will be expected to answer questions after testing positive for COVID-19 that can help determine additional contact tracing needs. When there is determined to be a need for further contact tracing, someone from your UPHS entity’s Department of Infection Control may contact you.

When can I return to work/class in-person?

If you test positive for COVID-19, your answers to questions in PennOpen Pass will determine when you can return to work. Your return date will depend on a number of factors and will be communicated to you via email. If you are ill otherwise and do not have COVID-19, your pass will turn green, You should follow normal call out procedures and you should contact your personal health care provider to help determine when you can return to work

What is the cost of testing at Penn Medicine for University of Pennsylvania faculty and staff / UPHS staff?

If you are a UPHS staff member, there is no cost to you if you are tested through the PennOpen Pass.

Do I need documentation to show that I am cleared to return?

PennOpen Pass will clear you for return at the end of your quarantine. Do not return to work until you are cleared, and comply with any public health guidance. If you have a COVID-19 test done outside of Penn Medicine, please be ready to provide documentation of your test result to Penn Open Pass call center 215-573-6355 or Occupational Medicine. You do not need to provide documentation of clearance to your manager or other supervisor. When you are cleared, you may start your PennOpen Pass daily screenings again. Please complete them as you were doing before.

How do I save or share my Green Pass?

Use the “Email” and “Text” buttons on the Green Pass to send the pass to yourself. This will allow you to quickly access your Green Pass when you arrive on campus or move between buildings. You can also print your pass or take a screenshot on your phone. Your Green Pass is issued to you because you completed your personal symptom check. It should not be shared with anyone whose intent is to bypass completing their own personal symptom check.

I don’t have a phone, or my phone is broken/lost.

If you have UPHS credentials, you can complete your daily symptom check on a computer on the PennOpen Pass website and print your Green Pass. If you do not have access to a computer or printer, follow the check-in process at your building for people without PennOpen Pass.

I want to sign-up for text reminders.

You can sign-up for a daily text reminder and set your reminder time in your PennOpen Pass profile.

I want to change my text reminder time.

Log-in to PennOpen Pass and edit your profile to change your reminder time.

I don’t want to receive text messages from PennOpen Pass.

If you do not want to receive text reminders, text back STOP. You will still need to complete PennOpen Pass daily. You have the option to complete it via the website. Bookmark the link for easy access.

I want to receive text messages after stopping text messages

Text back START to 94501 at any time to receive PennOpen Pass texts again. Log into PennOpen Pass and edit your personal profile to set a daily reminder time.

How is my data protected?

We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your data. See the PennOpen Pass Privacy Statement for more information.

Who developed the PennOpen Pass application?

PennOpen Pass was developed by the Penn Medicine Information Services software development team.

Do I need to install PennOpen Pass on my phone?

You do not need to install PennOpen Pass on your phone. PennOpen Pass is a mobile-friendly website that runs in your phone or computer’s web browser, just like any other website that you would visit.

Does PennOpen Pass have access to data on my phone, such as photos, location data, etc.?

PennOpen Pass does not access the personal data on your phone. The application only stores information related to your completion of each day’s symptom survey. This data is stored securely.

What is the data retention policy for PennOpen Pass?

Penn will retain personally identifiable information collected through PennOpen only as long as necessary to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, after which time it will be securely deleted.

How should I enter my symptoms in PennOpen Pass in the first 48 hours after receiving my COVID-19 vaccine?

As members of the Penn community begin receiving vaccinations, PennOpen Pass will remain an important tool. In the coming days and weeks, please pause, read, and respond to survey questions carefully. Do not report symptoms of unusual fatigue, fevers, or chills if you received a COVID vaccine within the past 48 hours. If you have other symptoms or these symptoms persist beyond 48 hours, report as usual. After 48 hours, PennOpen Pass will help distinguish between symptoms related to the vaccine and those which require other clinical guidance.

Do I need to continue using PennOpen Pass even if I have been vaccinated?

Yes, if you have been vaccinated, you should continue to answer PennOpen Pass questions concerning COVID-19. If you experience symptoms or exposures and generate a Red Pass, you will be guided through additional screening questions informed by the latest clinical guidance and scientific evidence used by Penn Medicine clinicians to determine quarantine timeframes or other next steps for your situation. The PennOpen Pass team does consider vaccination status when guiding PennOpen Pass users about their next steps.

Am I required to be vaccinated?

Please visit Vaccination Requirements.