Why Launching a Covid19 App is a Great Idea

In Franklin D Roosevelt’s inaugural address in 1932 the new President concisely stated ‘the only thing we have to fear is fear itself’. I’ve worked in the media for 20 years and I’ve had a lot of punters tell me lots of different things about the technology industry over that time that have caused me to shake my head in bewilderment at how they could possibly come up with the false information they have. Apply this to the purchase of new phone, and you have the potential for a customer to have bought the wrong phone. Apply this to a global viral pandemic and you have the potential for lives to be lost.

So how do we manage fear and ensure that we are getting the correct information to the people? Information, and making sure that we are sharing it consistently and regularly, in a format that is easy to understand. This is more critical now than ever. Over the decades technology has played a key role in the sharing of information. From the printing press to radio, to television and then the Internet, during times of major social upheaval technology has assisted in getting information to all the people.

Global COVID-19 Statistics - 2ST

So here we are in a world where a global pandemic is moving faster across the planet than we have ever seen a virus move before. We are blessed and challenged with a new set of technologies that both help and hinder the sharing of concise and correct information. The results of trials and tests that occur on the front line of this war can be shared by more people of influence faster than ever before. This can then filter into advice the community can follow to ensure they are given the best chance of protecting themselves and their loved ones from falling sick.

The challenge today is ensuring the correct information is shared and consumed by the people in a timely manner. With social media and the ability for self-publishing, the wider list of unvetted information sources we are consuming is posing a new problem. Over the last few weeks the amount of misinformation has been exploding as fear in the community has begun to take over.

It’s been clear to me the best place to understand what is happening with Covid19 in our country is by listening to the press conferences conducted by the Federal and State government. I agree they have not always been perfect in providing a concise message, but what message they have has delivered in a way that is aimed at being informative rather than alarmist.

As soon as the federal government released their Covid 19 app I promptly downloaded it. Now on my smart phone I can get the same concise information delivered via regular press conferences in a handy and easy-to-use app. I know the source of information and I am able to read the facts in a manner that is not designed to make me fearful or generate click bait.

The app also includes other handy features such as a symptom checker and the ability to register your ‘self isolation’.

As the advice on how we should behave changes regularly there is difficulty in understanding the formats of behaviour we should follow. The app has a clear and concise advice section, that is updated regularly to include how we should be behaving when leaving home, and the reasons for why we should be leaving our home in the first place.

If you feel you have symptoms there is also information on how you can get tested.

I recommend you download the app and familiarise yourself with the information and the different sections. What you will be reading is the advice from the best experts in the field, who are considering the most current and correct data.

Download the app from your ios or Android devices.