It seems already like an eternity since the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. Now, its related disease, COVID-19, has turned into a global pandemic which keeps spreading and wreaking havoc in more than 210 countries.

The COVID-19 outbreak caught the world off-guard, placing humanity in front of a global health, economic, and political crisis whose full consequences are still unknown. It is in these times ruled by uncertainty when the attention paid to the work of data scientists, analysts and researchers increases; showcasing how important and necessary their role is in our society.

The app which has been launched by the Secretary of State for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence, attached to the Third Vice Presidency of the Government and Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, was developed by CARTO in collaboration with ForceManager and mendesaltaren, with additional support from Telefónica, Ferrovial, Google, and Santander.

The app can be used via web or mobile (iOS and Android) and allows self-diagnosis, the ability for citizens to receive clear advice and guidance, and for them to receive reminders to periodically monitor the status of their health. In no case does it constitute a service for medical diagnosis, emergency care or prescription of pharmacological treatments.

The app is already relieving the heavy burden on health systems and allowing authorities to increase the effectiveness of their response.

MANAGING THE EPIDEMIC AT NATIONAL LEVEL FOR THE CITIZENSHIP
The app will allow for unified and homogeneous data, thereby contributing to the management of the epidemic at a national level. The Spanish Government also plans to release the source code so that other official bodies can implement their own versions of the app, adapting the tool to their self-assessment and triage health protocol. This will help guarantee accessibility and equal opportunities by putting technology at the service of society as a whole.

DATA PRIVACY
The Spanish Government guarantees the protection and security of the data that is collected by the app.

Using the GPS geolocation system of the mobile phone and with the user’s explicit permission, the autonomous community in which they are located will be verified in order to personalize responses based on the respective legislation in place.

All the data that the application collects is necessary to be able to offer appropriate advice. In no case will the data be used to check compliance with containment measures. Access to data will only be allowed by healthcare professionals and authorized authorities.

Personal data will be kept for the duration of the health crisis and, once finalized, will be stored anonymously to be processed for statistical, research or public policy purposes, for a maximum period of two years.


"We hope that the effort made to create this web and mobile app will serve to benefit communities around the world in their fight to control COVID-19. In fact, we have already received interest in its use by international organizations that seek to adapt the application for their local environment, and with whom we are already working to achieve that objective."

- Carme Artigas, Secretary of State for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence.