Apple has launched a website and a new app dedicated to COVID-19 screening.
The website and app offer an online screening tool, creates awareness and provides information about the disease and gives guidance on when to seek testing or emergency care.
Apple developed the site and app in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the White House.
According to the Verge, the screening tool asks users questions about their symptoms, recent travels, and contacts they may have had with people who have had or been exposed to the virus. After completing the screening process, they ’ll be taken to a page with recommended next steps that will also suggest whether they need to be tested for COVID-19.
Apple noted in a press release that the screening tool “does not replace instructions from healthcare providers or guidance from state and local health authorities.”
Noteworthy is the fact that if your screening results indicate that you may need to take a COVID-19 test, Apple doesn’t advise on where to get tested. It merely suggests that you “talk to someone about testing.” That’s likely because testing in the US is inconsistent and limited right now, and the CDC has urged people to contact their primary doctor before heading to a hospital in hopes of a test. However, Apple urges anyone experiencing difficulty breathing to immediately dial 911.
The company also said that it doesn’t collect or share data from the screening tool, nor does it require logging in with your Apple ID or any other account. “To help improve the site, Apple collects some information about how you use it. The information collected will not personally identify you.” It also doesn’t ask for location access, so the app won’t give you any localized recommendations.
Aside from the newly launched resource tools, you can also now ask Siri “How do I know if I have coronavirus?” and Siri will have you respond to a few screening questions and point you toward information from the CDC.
