New Delhi: With the continuous rise in the cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, both the pressure on the Indian healthcare system and fear and doubts among the people has increased manifold. Today, because of the COVID-19 which has already infected 649 individuals in India, we are living in a state of paranoia. One sneeze, one cough or even a mild fever which are symptoms of common flu as well, raises numerous questions in one’s mind and the fear of contracting the infectious disease. Keeping in mind the same, Apollo 24|7, the digital wing of Apollo Hospitals, has introduced Coronavirus Risk Scan, a self-assessment test to gauge the risk level of getting the coronavirus infection.
Talking about the need to introduce a self-assessment test, Antony Jacob, Chief Executive Officer at Apollo 24|7, said,
Anticipating the high pressure on Indian healthcare systems during this COVID-19 pandemic and the rising curiosity and information gap amongst the people with respect to coronavirus, we felt it was our responsibility to empower everyone to stay ahead of the curve in terms of understanding their potential risk as well as providing authentic and validated information.
Coronavirus Risk Scan is AI (artificial intelligence) powered BOT and individuals can self-assess their risk by answering eight simple questions. Explaining how can one clear their doubts on whether they have or are likely to contract the COVID-19, Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, in a video posted on Twitter said,
There are eight simple questions, answer those and what we can give you is a risk scoring of whether the chances you have contracted it are either low, medium or high. And then what are the actions required in case you get a high score or medium score. In case you get a low score, just remember that you have broken the chain and hats off to you.
Coronavirus Risk Scan by Apollo is designed to decrease the paranoia by generating a risk score based on your current symptoms. This will clear your doubts on whether you have or are likely to contract the novel #COVID19. Take the test now. https://t.co/yS9I5acFb6 #BreakTheChain pic.twitter.com/IemifXtteT
— Apollo247 (@Apollo24x7) March 21, 2020
The AI driven scan developed to decrease the fear around COVID-19 is developed on the basis of guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHF&W).
Also Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Here Are The Answers To All Your Frequently Asked Questions On COVID-19
Functioning Of Coronavirus Risk Scan
The self-assessment begins with a generic message stating how it is not equivalent to medical advice. It reads, “Hi! Our coronavirus disease self assessment scan has been developed on the basis of guidelines from the WHO and MHFW, Government of India. This interaction should not be taken as expert medical advice. Any information you share with us will be kept strictly confidential.”
Also Read: Why Does Coronavirus Spread So Easily? Experts Explain
Following this the first question pops, asking for the user’s age. The scan and its results are framed around eight general questions ranging from age, gender, current body temperature, symptoms, travel history, medical history and progression of the symptoms (if any) in the last 48 hours.
Except for the first question (age), all other questions have multiple options to be chosen as an answer. Based on the responses, the scan tells one’s risk of contracting the disease on a scale of low to high. Following this, Apollo 24×7 lists out five basic advises including home isolation, taking preventions and precautions, monitoring symptoms, among others.
Also Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: A Complete List Of Places In India Where You Can Get Tested For COVID-19
For anyone who might have further questions or would like to clarify their doubts, this AI-powered BOT is linked to a digital helpline that connects individuals to a coronavirus expert at no cost and without having to visit the hospital. Apollo 24|7 app has ensured that each person is empowered with the knowledge to take care of their health and can prevent themselves and others from contracting the virus, without burdening the healthcare system, said Mr Jacob.
The AI-powered BOT was launched on March 21 and in less than 5 days more than 7.3 million people have assessed their risk through this scan. The scan has been used by people in over 30 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore, and Australia, informed Mr Jacob.
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