Apple Inc announced on March 27 that it was rolling out a mobile app and a website to inform the public about COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, as per instructions from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The company partnered with the White House, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency while developing the app, which is available on the App Store as “COVID-19.”
While the app does not provide any tests, it offers users the option of checking for COVID-19 symptoms in their body. It also redirects you to reliable sources of information relating to the coronavirus outbreak.
Based on your answers to a number of questions about certain symptoms of the disease, along with your age, location, recent travels, risk factors and contact with others, it gives you guidance on what step to take next according to up-to-date CDC recommendations.
As part of the process, you will be informed about whether you should apply to take a coronavirus test or it would be better for you to self-quarantine at that point.
Users with serious COVID-19 symptoms such as “constant chest pain or pressure; extreme difficulty breathing; severe, constant dizziness or lightheadedness; slurred speech or difficulty waking up” are encouraged to call 911.
The website version (www.apple.com/covid19), which contains the same information, is available to Mac, Windows and Android users.
Apple assured all users of the COVID-19 app and website that it would not collect any data that may personally identify them, the collected information would not be tied to their Apple ID and their answers would not be shared with Apple or the CDC without their permission.
The company recently donated 10 million protective masks to US hospitals.
