During the Austrian lock-down in March 2020, caused by the Corona Virus, I was looking for opportunities to do anything that could help the situation. First I started writing a concept for a service that would support people and health systems throughout a pandemic and sent it around my network. Here's the story of how this initiative culminated in me designing the official "Corona-App" for the Georgian Ministry of Health.
Concept
The goal is to prevent shutdowns and health system overloads in the future and thereby save lives and existences.
To get an outbreak under control, we need to detect potential infections and warn the affected as early as possible, so they can self-quarantine until there is clarity about their status. Furthermore we should support the health system by encouraging and supporting people through their recovery at home.
*I used the German Ministry of Health as an exemplary provider of such a service.
To get an outbreak under control, we need to detect potential infections and warn the affected as early as possible, so they can self-quarantine until there is clarity about their status. Furthermore we should support the health system by encouraging and supporting people through their recovery at home.
*I used the German Ministry of Health as an exemplary provider of such a service.
Detect potential infections
The app detects other phones close by. It realizes when two or more users spend time close to each other. Sharing or Donating location data should be optional. This tracing can also be done by beacons instead of an app.
The app detects other phones close by. It realizes when two or more users spend time close to each other. Sharing or Donating location data should be optional. This tracing can also be done by beacons instead of an app.
If a user reports an infection, all of those recorded contacts receive a warning about a potential infection and are asked to isolate themselves until a test can provide clarity about their status.
Data donation: timeline
By sharing their timeline, users can help the system to identify risky areas and specific locations. It would even be possible to define at what point in time
a location was especially risky.
Data safety
a location was especially risky.
Data safety
To ensure users‘ privacy, the data must be handled anonymously and highly secure – possibly through Blockchain technology.
From warning to testing
After a warning, the User is always asked to self isolte. Depending on the current testing capacity two more steps can be interposed before a testing team is actually sent to the user.
> Symptoms check
> (Video-) Call center pairing users with available doctors/ medical workers, based on their „risk level“.
After a warning, the User is always asked to self isolte. Depending on the current testing capacity two more steps can be interposed before a testing team is actually sent to the user.
> Symptoms check
> (Video-) Call center pairing users with available doctors/ medical workers, based on their „risk level“.
Depeding on the symptoms or the decision of a doctor the user is encouraged to recover at home or brought to a hospital.
Warning
The app warns users by sending alerts. Additionally the home screen is used to guide the user through further steps.
If the app is offline or not all permissions were given – the app informs the user that it isn‘t able to provide services.
Beacon users will be warned by an sms or phone call.
The app warns users by sending alerts. Additionally the home screen is used to guide the user through further steps.
If the app is offline or not all permissions were given – the app informs the user that it isn‘t able to provide services.
Beacon users will be warned by an sms or phone call.
Symptoms Check
The symptoms check is a step by step walk through possible smyptoms, including details like fever temperature.
If there was no previous warning through the app but the users still want to do a symptoms check, they are asked if they were in risky areas or with infected people (self stated risk).
The symptoms check is a step by step walk through possible smyptoms, including details like fever temperature.
If there was no previous warning through the app but the users still want to do a symptoms check, they are asked if they were in risky areas or with infected people (self stated risk).
Depending on if there was a warning through the app or a self stated risk and what symptoms the user indicated, his risk level is calculated.
This risk level helps deciding if a user shall stay at home or should be brought to a hospital. It also allows queueing users in holding patterns for reaching a doctor through the medical call center.
Medical call center
Pairing users with available doctors/ medical workers, based on their „risk level“. A team up with existing start-ups would be helpful. For example:
DRD
Pairing users with available doctors/ medical workers, based on their „risk level“. A team up with existing start-ups would be helpful. For example:
DRD
Home Recovery
Once an infection has been confirmed – the app‘s home screen changes in order to accompany the user through the illness, enabling a recovery without having to stay at a hospital.
Once an infection has been confirmed – the app‘s home screen changes in order to accompany the user through the illness, enabling a recovery without having to stay at a hospital.
This will be possible with the help of:
> Medication instructions
> Nutrition advice
> Food and medication delivery
> Daily symptoms check
> Daily check in with a doctor
> Emergency call function
Nutrition and Medication
The medication instructions can be made available through the app.
Users can also be asked about the needs for the home quarantine.
> How many people in the household?
The medication instructions can be made available through the app.
Users can also be asked about the needs for the home quarantine.
> How many people in the household?
> Allergies?
> ect.
Thereby creating a shopping list that will be forwarded to existing delivery services. For example:
Alfies
Hello Fresh
Thereby creating a shopping list that will be forwarded to existing delivery services. For example:
Alfies
Hello Fresh
Recovery
And finally, after an overcome illnes, users can report their recovery through the app (the recovery needs to be officially confirmed).
The app may provide a digital „immune“ or even a „non-infectious“ certificate.
And finally, after an overcome illnes, users can report their recovery through the app (the recovery needs to be officially confirmed).
The app may provide a digital „immune“ or even a „non-infectious“ certificate.
Corona App for Georgia
Obviously I wasn't the only one creating a concept like this. A few weeks in the pandemic there were already reports about countries and companies working on "Corona Apps". However, I was still surprised, when my call for a team-up was answered by my friend Harald Trautsch, who happened to be in contact with the Georgian Ministry of Health. Together with his team of developers and the team of NOVID20, we created the official "Corona-App" for the country of Georgia "Stop Covid" within only a couple of days.
This work was also covered in Page Magazine: www.page-online.de
