BUSINESS leaders should be using real-time, self-monitoring medical technologies to assist with employee health as people start returning to work and the fight against the coronavirus enters the long haul.
That’s according to Devon Solomon a project leader for the CoronaFighter initiative, angel investor and entrepreneur, who said a forward-thinking way to do this on a larger scale was to turn to innovative medical technologies, such as the CoronaFighter web-based app.
“Due to the unprecedented spread of the virus and a global shortage of test kits, self-monitoring has become extremely important and is likely to become even more so as we begin to return to work.”
However, added Solomon, it is unlikely that every South African will have access to a test kit before returning to work, despite government authorities increasing the daily testing capacity.
“A tool like this is easily accessible and helps individuals take responsibility for monitoring their health and that of their families and communities,” said Solomon,
Dr Jarred Van Zuydam, a team doctor on the CoronaFighter initiative and a sports physician, said, “We want leaders to extend the message that only once we know who is at risk for infection can we help them gain access to treatment, protect their families, and protect our workforce from further infection.
“If we are not able to monitor our population efficiently, we risk re-spreading the infection and undoing any gains made through the lockdown.
“To survive and then thrive after the COVID-19 pandemic we need to work together. Every citizen needs to take responsibility for monitoring their health, every business needs to ensure that their staff are healthy and protected.”
Van Zuydam stressed the need for cooperation between the private and public sector to efficiently manage medical resources.
He said CoronaFighter could plays an important role here by allowing people to identify the earliest possible indication of symptoms common with COVID-19 and directing them to appropriate healthcare without putting more strain on the medical system.
More than 3,500 South Africans have used and shared the symptom screener.
The CoronaFighter team has been working around the clock to extend the reach of the app by partnering with several corporates and medical organisations to deploy the use of the app as a self-monitoring mechanism for more communities.
“CoronaFighter provides accurate, consistent and unbiased advice to all its users. Also, thanks to its ability to collect and directly share data with top researchers, it is a necessary part of the long-term solution in the fight against this virus,” said Solomon.
The CoronaFighter app can be found at www.testforcovid.co.za.