BackCoronavirus: Healthcare companies launch digital self-assessment tools
More and more states are looking to adapt technology solutions to combat the pandemicExperts advise that one must exercise caution while using such self-analysing tools
PremiumNEW DELHI: Several healthcare companies have launched self-assessment tools enabling self-analysis of risk of contracting Covid-19, with demand set to rise in the coming days.
The automated tools allow people to self-monitor and self-report by preparing a risk profile which may help them decide if they require medical advice or an RT-PCR testing at certified government or private laboratories testing for the novel coronavirus.
One such digital initiative, ‘Test Yourself Goa’, has been launched by the Directorate of Health Services, Goa, in partnership with Innovaccer. The app analyses one’s risk profile based on age, travel history, types, severity and duration of symptoms, possible history of contact with a positive case, and other related questions.
Based on the results, one can decide on whether to go for quarantine/isolation, testing, or contacting health centres. It also provides details on transport services to isolation wards.
“It is one of the critical elements of our government’s strategy to fight COVID-19 in the state. We understand that this technology is limited to triaging people at risk (help them decide the order for seeking treatment)," said Vishwajit Rane, Health Minister, Goa.
As the outbreak spreads in the country, more and more states are looking to adapt technology solutions to combat the pandemic.
Apollo Hospitals has launched a self-assessment scan on its website which takes people through a questionnaire and then accordingly advises them, while assuring confidentiality.
With most of the country under lockdown, such applications could help people avoid the risk of going out for testing, when the likelihood of them being infected is low. But experts advise that one must exercise caution while using them.
In India, cases have surged past 511, and as many as 30 states and union territories have declared lockdowns.
“There is no harm in self-assessing oneself for symptoms, but one should understand that it is not a laboratory test, which can tell you if you are infected or not. Such questions are asked by doctors before they conduct tests," said Dr Shobha Broor, noted virologist formerly with AIIMS, New Delhi, “do not ignore or delay seeking a professional medical advice merely relying on information accessed through websites."
Also, if there is indeed a community transmission, the questions would lose their relevance, as the “identified factors" may change.
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