Skip to main content

Millions of people have used this app to log their COVID-19 symptoms — and data suggests the set of symptoms governments initially warned about was too narrow

* Nearly 3.5 million people are using an app daily to report whether they're experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. * The Covid Symptom Tracker app, built by researchers at King's College London and analytics company Zoe Global, provides real-time data that could help lawmakers decide how to reopen countries in the coming months. * App data suggests that the symptoms health authorities first described as typical of the virus — fever and cough — were too narrow, leaving out as many as half of COVID-19 patients who never experienced those symptoms.  * Rather, loss of taste and smell is the strongest predictor of whether someone will develop more severe COVID-19 symptoms, according to the data. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. As governments prepare to lift COVID-19 lockdowns across the globe, real-time data from an app with millions of users could provide a critical tool to help policymakers understand the spread of the virus. Nearly 3.5 million people have been using the Covid Symptom Tracker app to report whether they're experiencing any symptoms associated with COVID-19. The data shines a light on when the number of people experiencing symptoms peaked, the locations of major outbreaks, and which symptoms appear the most common. The app was created by King's College London and health analytics company Zoe Global, which herald it as the "biggest citizen science project in health that we have ever seen anywhere in the world." It has 3.1 million users in the UK and is now gaining steam in the US, where more than 200,000 people have downloaded it. Data from the app is already poking holes in some early assumptions about the virus. As recently as a month ago, many health authorities were warning that fever and a cough were the most common symptoms — but app data suggests that roughly half of those infected never experienced those symptoms. The CDC added six more symptoms, including chills, muscle pain, headache, and loss of taste and smell to its COVID-19 page earlier this week. The loss of taste and smell appears to be the clearest indicator that someone may develop more severe COVID-19 symptoms later on, researchers working on the app told The Wall Street Journal. In the UK, the number of people reporting COVID-19 symptoms peaked around April 1 and has steadily declined since, according to app data. The country entered lockdown a week prior to the peak. The data has some shortcomings — including the fact that people over 70, who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, are less likely to own a smartphone — but researchers are building algorithms to make data from the app more reliable. The app automatically compares symptoms that users report to baseline data from 30,000 confirmed COVID-19 patients to create a baseline, and researchers told WSJ they're confident at least two-thirds of the data is accurate. Other tech companies have embarked on similar data-gathering missions. Facebook launched a COVID-19 symptom tracker last week, which will similarly aim to provide health authorities with broad trends on symptoms being reported across the globe. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: A cleaning expert reveals her 3-step method for cleaning your entire home quickly
https://bit.ly/3aVpcjR

Popular posts from this blog

A full breakdown of what channels you get with every Sling TV package, plus all the add-ons

  * Sling is one of the most affordable cord-cutting services on the market, offering two packages —  Orange and Blue — with 30+ channels starting at $30 a month or combined for $45 a month. * Orange offers the Disney Channel and ESPN, while Blue offers a slate of Fox channels, NBC, Bravo, and Discovery. Both Orange and Blue offer CNN, TBS, Food Network, and BBC America. * You can also add on multi-channel packages, like Sports Extras, Kids Extras, or News Extras, starting at $5 a month. Premium add-ons, like Showtime, Starz, and Epix, are also available for an additional monthly charge.  * If you're new to Sling TV, you can receive a free 14-day trial for a limited time. * Here's a complete breakdown of the channels offered on each Sling package.    If you're hoping to get the most bang for your buck once you cut the cord with your cable subscription, Sling is one of the most affordable live streaming services on the market.  The service has two packages with ...
Read more

Here's an exclusive look at the pitch deck London fintech Lanistar used to raise $19 million at a $190 million valuation

* London-based fintech startup Lanistar has raised a £15 million ($19 million) funding round from Milaya Capital.  * Founded in 2019, Lanistar is building a personal financial management platform that will launch later in 2020.  * "We're expecting a huge amount of growth upon our launch and have already seen strong interest among our sign ups," Gurhan Kiziloz, founder and CEO of Lanistar, told Business Insider. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.  The coronavirus lockdown in the UK has brought the importance of managing money into sharp relief. A recent study from Money.com shows that 71% of UK households have saved cash during lockdown, and, with uncertainty about jobs and the economy looming, money management is now front of mind for many. Lanistar, a banking platform with a focus on personal finance, is one company offering tools for consumers to better manage their money. It has just raised a £15 million ($19 million) funding round from Mil...
Read more

Why an early exec quit unicorn food delivery startup Deliveroo to launch a food business in the middle of a pandemic

* A former Deliveroo exec has launched a market food hall startup in the middle of COVID-19. * Dan Warne was managing director of the unicorn startup until 2019, but has now launched Sessions Market as a community food hall concept to rejuvenate UK towns after the pandemic. * Warne says he hopes to bring his experience from Deliveroo, particularly about customer behavior, to the analogue world of food halls. * The first venue, Shelter Hall on Brighton seafront, launches July 4. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. On Saturday, the UK's bars, restaurants, and cinemas will fling their doors open to customers for the first time since a strict lockdown commenced in late March. Given continued public health concerns around the coronavirus pandemic, it might be unwise to open a new food business right now. But Dan Warne, a former high-level executive at British unicorn startup Deliveroo, has launched Sessions Market, a series of community-orientated food hal...
Read more