The World Health Organisation has planned to launch a mobile application that will help people track coronavirus. WHO said that this would be beneficial for all the countries.
Features Of The application
The application will have features that will help with the contact tracing of the virus. It helps to highlight the symptoms of the deadly virus and whether the person using the app has contracted it or not. The organization specified that it was not only for tracing but also to educate the people on the virus.
It also contains the details of symptoms, and how to avoid contracting them. Countries like Australia, the United Kingdom, and India have already launched their own apps that allow the government to track contact tracing.
The WHO app will be similar to these applications in that it will use the location of the user to trace where the person has been. WHO officials have said that while the app belongs to them, any government can take the app’s technology and add features that they see fit for their country.
The app will ask people symptoms and then determine whether they should get tested for the virus. It will also include testing centers and where to find them in every country.
Why Was The App Made? ( Coronavirus)
The new WHO app was made to help people in countries that don’t have adequate resources to be informed about the virus. Bernardo Mariano, the chief information officer of WHO informed the public and said that this was mostly made to spread awareness. In countries where the cases of coronavirus have been increasing at a very fast pace, it will be very useful.
Most of these countries do not have the resources to make an application to spread information. This is why the app was created. They are already working with the Apple and Google officials to officially release the app on the app stores.
https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/who-updates-covid-19-dashboard-with-better-data-visualization
How Does The App Work?
The app has not officially been given a name, but it is quite simple to figure out how it works. It will rely on virtual ‘handshakes’. The phone of both the users has to be in contact for at least 5 minutes. This feature was added so that the app can send a secret notification. This is to check if a person they have been in contact with has contracted the virus. They receive a notification saying that they also need to get checked.
To maintain anonymity, identities are not revealed. Another feature has also been added to the application that provides a self-help guide to mental health care during these tough times.
Why Is It Taking Time To Launch? ( Coronavirus)
The officials at WHO confirmed that it would be launched in the month of May. The engineers are hard at work and plan to release the app as soon as possible.
They are worried that the information of the users can be stolen if the application is hacked into. To create a more secure base for the users, they are trying to come up with a strategy that helps strengthen the firewalls.
To reach people with no or limited internet access, they are planning to spread the word via text messages.
WHO also confirmed that they will be releasing an app that guides health workers with information to fight the coronavirus.
