The Australian Government has launched an app to provide up-to-date information about the coronavirus pandemic.
The app, which launched on Sunday, has a symptom checker, advice on hygiene and social distancing. It also allows Australians to see exactly how many confirmed cases there are in each state.
The app is available from the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
The app launched alongside the government’s Whatsapp feature, which provides similar information.
It comes as the number of cases continues to climb, with 4,167 people now infected in Australia. There have been 17 deaths in Australia since the outbreak began.
The Australian Government has launched an app to provide up-to-date information about the coronavirus pandemic
The app, which launched on Sunday, has a symptom checker, advice on hygiene and social distancing
Those who are concerned that they may have contracted the deadly virus can use the app check whether they should get tested or even if they should call triple zero.
After entering your gender and age, you’re asked a series of questions about your health – are you struggling to breathe, is you skin turning blue?
If you answer yes, you are advised to go to the nearest emergency department. If you are answer no to the series of questions, you’re advised to stay home and monitor your symptoms.
The app has all the current announcements from the Prime Minister regarding coronavirus.
The Whatsapp feature works similarly by providing users with easy to access information.
After downloading Whatsapp, type oz.gov.au/whatsapp.
The app is available from the Apple App Store and on Google Play
The app launched alongside the government’s Whatsapp feature, which provides similar information
The Whatsapp feature works similarly by providing users with easy to access information
The Whatsapp account acts like a messenger bot and provides people with relevant updates when they type in a number or emoji.
The apps have been developed to help communicate with the public about the ever-changing crisis.
The most recent announcement came on Sunday night when Scott Morrison placed a ban on gatherings of more than two people.
The two-person limit doesn’t apply to workplaces, offices, schools and households.
It applies to all indoor settings, including private properties and homes.
People who live alone can only invite one friend over, while households of two people or more can’t have any visitors.
A family split across two houses can meet in private, allowing people to visit their partner, siblings or parents.
The prime minister urged all Australians to only leave their homes to buy essential supplies, to exercise, to attend personal medical appointments and to go to work or school – if unable to work or obtain an education from home.
‘Every single Australian needs to take this seriously or community transmission could get out of control and we could have a situation as terrible as even they are seeing in the US at the moment,’ he said.
Mr Morrison also strongly advised that anyone over 70 stay home for their own safety, except for going for a daily walk in the fresh air.
It comes as the number of cases continues to climb, with 4,167 people now infected in Australia. There have been 17 deaths in Australia since the outbreak began
‘States and territories will term whether they proceed to make this an enforceable limit in the same way that the 10-person limit is already been enforced,’ he said.
Mr Morrison made it clear the advice about gatherings of more than two people was for all circumstances, not just for social occasions in homes.
‘That provides, importantly, for those who may be getting daily exercise, particularly for women, that they wouldn’t be required to walk on their own and they be able to be walk with another person,’ he said.
Announcing a new $1.1 billion health package to deal with the COVID-19 crisis earlier on Sunday, Mr Morrison said greater cooperation in terms of self-isolation and social distancing was delivering dividends.
‘They are still strong rates of increase, there’s no doubt about that,’ the prime minister said.
‘But as we take the measures that we have been taking and put them in place and we have the co-operation from the Australian people, then that obviously in turn that has an impact on how we are managing the spread of the virus.
Mr Morrison also said just a third as many Australians were catching coronavirus as a week ago with the borders, pubs, and restaurants shut.
The Prime Minister said the rate of virus infections was 25 to 30 per cent a day, but slowed to about 13-15 per cent in the past few days.
‘They are still strong rates of increase, there’s no doubt about that,’ he said on Sunday.