CovidCare: Self-monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms
Australia has had great success in its physical distancing measures to ‘flatten the curve’, but as our cities and towns re-open for business, COVID-19 diagnoses will continue requiring quarantine and self-isolation. Most people diagnosed with COVID-19 will be managed in the community, and the CovidCare App has been designed to support people while in isolation monitor their symptoms. Researchers from the Department of General Practice are leading the trial of this novel approach.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on the community. A positive diagnosis for COVID-19 requires quarantine and self-isolation for at least two weeks. Most people diagnosed with COVID-19 can be managed in the community with primary care support. This may be an anxiety-provoking time and changes in symptoms could require further medical management or require hospitalisation. Tools that can help people diagnosed with COVID-19 monitor physical symptoms can provide additional support to people isolating and can be used to assist clinical decision making about appropriate levels of care.
In response, Two Bulls app developers with clinical guidance and support from leading respiratory clinicians Professor Bruce Thompson (Swinburne University) and Clinical Associate Professor Jeremy Goldin (Circle Health) and primary care advice from Dr Mukesh Haikerwal (Altona North Medical Group & Cirqit Health) have developed the‘CovidCare App. A trial to test the app is currently underway to determine whether CovidCare can safely and effectively support people diagnosed with COVID-19 through their required isolation.
“We hope to test whether the CovidCare app provides patients with the level of support they need for ongoing symptom checking for Covid-19 and ongoing self-monitoring support”, says lead trial investigator, Associate Professor Victoria Palmer from the Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne. “The app will also provide us with important insight into critical information about emotional needs and the impact on mental health of self-isolation due to Covid-19.”
For more information visit:
University of Melbourne Media release