CORONA VIRUS : TRACKING APP

An app that monitors UK COVID-19 symptoms has developed into one of the most downloaded apps.The developers hope to provide information into why some people are having the disease more seriously than others.Developer says, "We also plan to build showing a map where outbreaks will cause, and help to differentiate cases from normal cold or flu.It's one of the recent features of this kind. Experts have advised people to be vigilant of what they are downloading from.

Covid Symptom Tracker is currently the third most popular app in Apple's UK store, and second in the country's new release chart for Google Play.

Its developers are targeting one million downloads in 24 hours.The software was shared thousands of times over via Whats App and other social media platforms.Created in just three days by researchers at Guy's and St Thomas ' hospitals and King's College London University, it has now exceeded 750,000 downloads in tandem with the diet advice start-up Zoe, and is being deployed at a pace of 50,000 times an hour, according to its developers.

It was developed in collaboration with the diet advice start-up Zoe, by researchers at Guy's & St Thomas ' hospitals and King's College London University.

The software was the brainchild of Dr. Tim Spector, a King's College genetic epidemiologist who has been specializing in twin genetics and medical history for the past 25 years.  "I was very sad as they shut down everything in college and I thought twins were the best learned people in the country and we could use that knowledge in this crisis" he told the BBC.

Initially, the software was only made available to the twins involved in his research, who were sent a home test kit to better understand the symptoms corresponded to the infection with corona virus.

But the professor realized that without the testing dimension, it could be scaled up to the general public. "The NHS hasn't come up with a suitable solution so it seems this technology is working.

He said, "We're hoping to get to one million downloads by the end of the day and we're also going to be ready for the NHS, data modellers, and researchers to play with by then" . The app allows patients to share personal information including age, height, and history of the drug. This asks people, if they have any, to explain symptoms on a regular basis as  well as to provide reading of the temperature.

Prof. Spector said it may be of benefit to the NHS: 

Learn how quickly the virus spreads in a geographical region, and highlight high-risk areas of the country better understand the symptoms, including discrepancies in those of the virus and common cold, explain why some people develop a mild disease while others become seriously unwell. 

A spokeswoman for Zoe told the BBC that all shared data would be anonymised, and that no data shared in the app would be used for any commercial purpose. She added that users could delete

 all their records when the crisis was over.

 As spam and malware skyrockets on the back of the pandemic, one expert said it would be prudent for people to be careful about installing certain applications that are intended to help fix corona virus.

 "I am worried about the proliferation of websites and applications designed to encourage people to disclose their Covid-19 symptoms," said Pat Walshe, a privacy expert.

 "I have found it difficult or impossible to determine who is behind a number of them. They do not adopt the appropriate standards for compliance with data protection legislation, 

 and I find the ethics to be dubious.

 “Could an app help? Yes, possibly. But I think we need the NHS to coordinate it in order to provide confidence, trust and protection.”

 Prof Spector agrees that people need to be careful.

“There are lots of scams out there and bogus things trying to get your details,” he said.

People wishing to download the Covid-19 tracker can do so from Apple and Google’s app stores.

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