An interdisciplinary team of students from the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, the University of New Brunswick, and McMaster University, led by first-year University of Toronto engineering science student Shrey Jain, has launched a not-for-profit organization, Flatten.ca, to help Canadian healthcare systems to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

The name refers to ongoing efforts to "flatten the curve" — basically, slowing down the rate of COVID-19 transmission so hospitals aren't overwhelmed.

Flatten: a living heat map

Flatten.ca is a living heat map of presumptive and confirmed COVID-19 cases across Canada. The site uses a simple self-assessment, developed in conjunction with public health authorities, to help Canadians share their current condition, right down to the neighbourhood level.

"There are other mapping tools out there that can tell you about cases in Canada or even Toronto," said Jain, the group's founder. "But you don't get to see what's going on in your neighbourhood. We wanted to focus on more granular data."

The heat map also shows local concentrations of vulnerable individuals: older adults, people with underlying medical conditions, and the immunocompromised.

A student-led team

The Flatten team is comprised of students in engineering, computer science, and molecular genetics, with oversight from University of Toronto professors in fields ranging from computer science to public health. Dozens of students are volunteering their time to help understand the spread of COVID-19, to help keep our communities healthy and safe.

Flatten has been publicly available for about two weeks and has already logged nearly 400,000 responses across the country. The more data, the better the results. If you have a moment, log your health and take part in this growing project.

Seeing so many students band together to help their communities is truly inspiring. You never know where a good idea might take you, so follow your passions. You just might change the world!

Kudos to the Flatten team for going above and beyond in their efforts to flatten the curve and put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To learn how to make your own homemade, WHO-approved hand sanitizer, click here. To learn how to make a fabric face mask, click here. To learn how to clean and sanitize your phone, keyboard and mouse, click here.