Apple Launches an online website and Application to help control the coronavirus outbreak

Amidst the ongoing coronavirus crisis, many companies and brands are trying their best to help the patients fight the disease and also follow measures that prevent its further spread.

Apple recently launched a site and an application committed to COVID-19 screening. The resources feature a web-based screening tool, data about the virus infection, and some directions on when to go for a diagnostic test. The site and the application were built by the company in a joint effort with the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the White House.

The tools pose a number of questions about your symptoms, travels, and any contact you might have had with individuals who had been exposed to the infection. Once the procedure is complete, you’ll be directed to a page with a recommended course of action, that will likewise propose whether you should get tested for COVID-19.

The application does not carry out the tests itself but merely connects the dots and helps you decide if you should go for testing. Likewise, it doesn’t direct you to a testing center either. Apple announced in an official statement that the screening device “does not replace instructions from healthcare providers or guidance from state and local health authorities.”

With the main aim to offer people an easy way to gain trusted information and guidance, the two resources also feature some frequently asked questions and up-to-date information about the disease. Further, it doesn’t access any of your personal data for your identification and hence, doesn’t even require you to sign in using your Apple ID. It doesn’t ask for location access either, so you’re not being monitored by an FBI agent, if you’re worried about that!

Tim Cook, Chief executive officer at Apple Inc., talked about the resource, saying, “to help you stay informed, understand symptoms and take proper steps to protect your health, Apple has created a COVID-19 website and a US app in partnership with the CDC. As always, the data is yours and your privacy is protected. Stay safe and healthy.”

In addition, Apple has added a feature in Siri which can prompt you to useful websites and the applications dedicated to the coronavirus. If you ask, “How do I know if I have coronavirus?”, Siri redirects you to some screening questions and then to the information provided by the CDC.

Apart from the screening tools, the company has also launched a number of welfare programs to help the patients and the doctors fight the disease and get access to the appropriate equipment without any hassle. Tim Cook tweeted, “Apple is dedicated to supporting the worldwide response to COVID-19. We’ve now sourced over 20M masks through our supply chain. Our design, engineering, operations and packaging teams are also working with suppliers to design, produce and ship face shields for medical workers.”

Alongside Apple, many other companies are also working towards promoting social distancing and facilitating the public to help fight the disease. Amazon’s Alexa also features a diagnostic tool and can help in understanding the symptoms. Similarly, CDC’s website has an online chat bot built on Microsoft’s Healthcare Bot Service, to provide live guidance by assessing people’s symptoms and risk factors.

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