The HMSMobile Swine Flu Center, a new iPhone application developed by the Harvard Health Publications Division of Harvard Medical School, is now available for purchase in the iTunes store. Following the decision by The White House to sign an emergency declaration for H1N1, this new application is a critical tool that leverages Harvard’s extensive knowledge and provides the public with timely information on prevention and outbreaks of the H1N1 virus.
Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and editor-in-chief of Harvard Health Publications commented, “The H1N1 pandemic presents a significant public health threat. The White House has carefully examined the spread of the virus and their decision to sign an emergency declaration is a clear signal that we could be facing the most serious pandemic in a generation. Nothing is more important at this time than making sure the public is informed and prepared.”
The HMSMobile Swine Flu Center application will give users access to:
- Video guides on how people can protect themselves, and how they can protect others from them if they get sick;
- Interactive tools to help users determine if they (or their children) may have caught swine (H1N1) flu, what to do and when to contact the doctor;
- Information on local hotlines with information about H1N1 flu in that community (as determined by the iPhone’s GPS);
- News feeds from Harvard Medical School summarizing the latest information about H1N1, including updates from the Center for Disease Control and local public health officials;
- A question and answer capability in which the answers to selected questions will be broadcast in text, or as new videos;
- “Outbreaks Near Me,” a program developed by Dr. John Brownstein and colleagues that enables users to track and report outbreaks of infectious diseases;
- Advice about survival kits, in case the epidemic becomes serious enough that many people are working from home and avoiding going out; and
- A special component for the business community developed by Harvard Business School, that provides information on how to best prepare their enterprises for managing through the pandemic, including information for managers, signage for the workplace, employee guides and global hotlines for business travelers.
Please contact Liz Curtis-Bey at lcurtisbey@gpgny.com for a free promotional code then click here to visit the iTunes stores and download the HMSMobile Swine Flu Center.