Introduction[edit | edit source]
This page attempts to explore the concepts of an "ecosystem of apps" useful for the covid pandemic.
The measures that prevent infection are pharmacological (treatments that shorten the infectious period, and vaccines that protect the vaccinated and have a certain reducing effect on their ability to infect others), and non-pharmacological.
The latter can be grouped into interception measures (masks and other measures that make it difficult for the virus to pass through when we meet other people) and measures to reduce the number of respiratory contacts. The former usually require "physical objects" (masks, CO2 meters, etc.), while the latter have more to do with adjusting our "behaviors" (staying at home, etc.).
Software applications ("apps") can be especially useful in adjusting our behaviors, helping to reduce the number of respiratory contacts.
Education[edit | edit source]
It is possible to develop educational apps. They could explain the biology of the virus, its transmission and prevention, epidemiology, how diagnostic tests work, etc. Scientists and educators could design quizzes, games, animations, etc.
Information[edit | edit source]
Just as knowledge of atmospheric weather allows us to protect ourselves from inclement weather, it has been thought that local epidemiological information could, at least in theory, serve a similar purpose.
In addition, the user could enter its symptoms and obtain an estimate of the probability that it is covid. In theory, this estimate could be further refined if information from the local epidemic context could be obtained. Naturally, both of these functionalities have numerous pitfalls, and are only mentioned in an attempt to map the app ecosystem, not because their development seems practical in the short or medium term.
Interception[edit | edit source]
This category of preventive measures includes outdoor activities, ventilation, air filtering, masks and respirators, personal protective equipment.
It would be closely associated with reading indoor CO2 levels, etc. (See Digital Shield.)
Reduction of respiratory contacts[edit | edit source]
This category of measures includes international and national borders; confinement; measures in labor, education and transportation (which can be done online, in shifts and reducing contact time); shopping (online with home delivery or pick-up in store or intermediate point); case diagnosis (already mentioned above); contact tracing (by people or places, see "venue tagging" in the Digital Shield document); and logistical and financial support for quarantine.
Apps would include:
- see who to help, for example by looking at contacts who lives nearby and we could shop for them if they are doing quarantine.
- see who can help us.
- etc.
References[edit | edit source]
- Please add links to apps in different countries:
- Spain: RadarCovid.
- https://github.com/jorgej-ramos/escudo-digital/ (in Spanish) is "Digital Shield", a proposal for a framework.
