Apple’s COVID-19 Screening App Updated with New CDC Symptoms, Cloth Mask Guide

BY Mahit Huilgol

Published 1 May 2020

Apple and other tech companies are doing their bit in the battle against COVID-19. Apple has now updated its COVID-19 screening app with two important things. The app now comes with updated CDC symptoms that help in self-evaluating and taking proper care. Apple has also introduced a new section that helps you prepare a mask at home.

Apple’s COVID-19 app is an important tool and needs to be updated according to the latest development. CDC has added a slew of new symptoms to its guidelines. The list includes muscle pain, headache, chills, shivering with chills, loss of smell or taste, and sore throat.

The update also adds a guide that helps you in making a clothing mask. Due to the nature of the crisis, masks are not in stock in many regions. Moreover, frontline workers need medical-grade masks to protect themself. In such a scenario, it makes sense to use a cloth mask with multiple layers of fiber. The mask is especially useful in places wherein it is difficult to maintain social distance.

The COVID-19 app works by asking a set of questions in order to ascertain risk factors, recent exposure, and symptoms. Once done they will receive a set of instructions that will help them monitor symptoms, self-isolate, and practice Social Distancing.

How is Apple helping in the battle against COVID-19

Apple is lending a helping hand to its employees and has helped retail workers make a switch to work from home setup. Moreover, the company has also joined hands with Google to come up with a contact tracing feature that can be used globally by health authorities. The feature is called exposure notification and the API is already available on latest iOS 13.5 Beta build. Lastly, Apple Map has begun showing COVID-19 testing locations across the US.