New Covid-19 NI information app

“Covid-19 NI is one of the first dedicated tool of its kind in the UK and Ireland and demonstrates that our local Department of Health and the HSC were well ahead of the game in knowing exactly what they wanted and securing it in record time,” explained Mark Owens, Managing Director of CIVICA Northern Ireland.

“The App is simple to download and use and has three core functions, firstly an in-app symptom checker for Coronavirus (COVID-19) leading the user to appropriate medical advice and onward links to further information; secondly a chat bot with natural language interface to answer users’ questions which will be enhanced and expanded with time, usage and feedback; and thirdly a push notification service with the ability to push messages out to user’s devices very similar to text messages alerting people to things like significant changes to official status or advice.

“Our brief was to provide a trusted single source of information dedicated to providing the population of Northern Ireland with immediate advice that should ease pressure on GP surgeries, pharmacies and of course Hospitals. I cannot stress how unprecedented it is in our industry to produce an App of this nature so quickly and we could not have done it without the skills and dedication of our developers who were determined to do their best to support our amazing NHS. We all know the pressure on our medical services is going to be extraordinary and we believe this is going to be a critical tool for those who need local information immediately.

“It is the duty of every business in Northern Ireland to do their bit to support the Executive, the Government Departments and to realise that it is vital we all work together to beat this Pandemic, use our skills, our ingenuity and retool where necessary to support each other and our economy.”

The new app is dedicated to providing people across Northern Ireland with immediate advice and links to vital trusted information, as the situation with the pandemic evolves we will keep the app up to date.

The app includes guidance on the symptoms of the coronavirus infection and supports individuals to identify whether they might potentially have the infection. It will also provide advice on what actions people should take if they think they may have coronavirus. The information provided will also help people decide if they need advice from a health or care professional and how best to access that advice should they need it.

People can ask specific questions through the app with an Advice Search ‘chatbot’ that automatically reviews all the guidance to find a response to match individual queries.

By providing early and easily accessible advice to the public, and information on whether someone may need to speak to a healthcare professional the app should also help with easing pressure on GP surgeries, pharmacies and other community services.

Once downloaded, people who use the app will also receive push notifications, which will include the latest public health advice.

Health Minister Robin Swann praised the unparalleled speed of delivery of this important resource by Department of Health’s Digital Team and local companies Civica and Big Motive who were also involved in developing the app.

He said: “I recognise that people in Northern Ireland need access to up to date information at this worrying time and this vital initiative will complement all the other work we are doing across our health and care services. The pressure on our services is going to be unprecedented and this is an important resource for those who need local information quickly.

“We have made this investment knowing that trusted local health guidance is critically important. We expect the app will also help us track the impact of Covid-19, which will assist us in planning and directing services and supports to the best of our ability.”

Who can use this app?

The app is available to all individuals who are currently residing in Northern Ireland.

You can use this app to get advice for yourself, or on behalf of someone else that you would like to help.

Data security

The app does not collect any personally identifiable information.

We will collect information related to the postcode and age of the user to help us track the impact of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland.

This will help us to plan services and ensure that resources are directed to the areas of greatest need.