Apple Inc. has launched a COVID-19 website and app in collaboration with the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the White House Coronavirus Task Force as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Both websites and apps are screening tools for coronavirus, and they are also a set of resources that people can utilize to stay ahead of the disease.
The COVID-19 app is downloadable on the App Store.
Users can use the website or mobile app to evaluate their health status by answering questions related to the viral infection. Some of the questions include recent health symptoms, exposure to infected persons or surfaces, and other risk factors. Users will also access CDC guidelines on what should be done based on the answers already provided; and some of the CDC recommendations include symptoms monitoring, self-isolation, social distancing, suggestions for lab tests, and whether to contact a doctor.
Users will also be able to see frequently-asked-questions (FAQ) on the pandemic, people who are most vulnerable to infection, how to analyze symptoms, and other helpful resources on disinfecting surfaces, washing hands, and respiratory etiquette.
Apart from the new Apple’s COVID-19 app and website, Apple users in the United States can ask Siri if they have coronavirus to access CDC resources and help with the disease. Earlier this week, many Apple users traveling through some international airports in the US received notifications on how to monitor their health and other CDC coronavirus guidelines on their iPhones.
Apple warns that the website and app are a screening tool that will not replace doctor visits and instructions from local or state health authorities. It is available to anyone above the age of 18 in the US and may soon be available to people in other countries around the world where coronavirus is now a killer menace.
“Consistent with Apple’s strong dedication to user privacy, the COVID-19 app and website were built to keep all user data private and secure,” the company wrote. “The tools do not require a sign-in or association with a user’s Apple ID, and users’ individual responses will not be sent to Apple or any government organization.”
Last week, Google launched a website dedicated to COVID-19 information and resources. The site contains links to the CDC screening tool and is only available to users within the US and may soon become available to international users.
Meanwhile, Apple also pledged to provide 10 million face masks to healthcare facilities across the US and Europe to boost government efforts at containing the pandemic.
Source: apple.com