“CoronaCheck”, a new mobile application that allows users to conduct self-assessments at home while raising awareness of measures to prevent COVID-19, was launched yesterday by the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), according to the Aga Khan Development Network.

The self-assessment tool – an interactive chatbot, driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) -- allows users to understand their symptoms, recognize whether they may have contracted COVID-19 and seek help in a timely manner. 

The tool has been adopted from Alberta Health Services and modified by AKUH experts to meet both local contexts and the evolving epidemiology of the disease.  It aims to identify potential coronavirus carriers, limit their risk of transmission, and seek help from official, designated national helplines listed within the app.

Since myths and misconceptions regarding COVID-19 have been fuelling panic nationwide and further contributing to the spread of the disease, CoronaCheck also features educational videos, translated in local languages, to combat unverified information that is circulating on social media platforms.

It also includes official information, such as best practices, advice on self-assessment, precautions, the need for physical distancing and self-care for COVID-19, published by sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

CoronaCheck is now available for Pakistan by downloading on the GooglePlay Store.  Other country versions and iOS versions will be rolled out in coming weeks.