A new app, developed by doctors, scientists, and a health science company, is tracking the symptoms and spread of COVID-19.
The COVID Symptom Study works by having participants input their symptoms daily. Multiple profiles can be set up on the app, to allow one person to input symptoms on behalf of someone else.
When first setting up, the app will ask for some basic personal information that is kept secure. It will then ask questions such as how often you have been outside, how you feel physically, and if you’ve been tested for COVID-19. According to the website, data will not be used for commercial purposes.
Research is led by Prof. Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London and director of TwinsUK; Prof. Andrew Chan, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, chief of the clinical and translational epidemiology unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a physician-epidemiologist; and Prof. Christopher Gardner, Rehnborg Farquhar Professor of Medicine at Stanford University Prevention Research Center.
According to the app, more than 3 million people are contributing daily symptom updates.
The app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
