LANSING, Mich. – A new tool created by Michigan health officials can calculate how likely a person is to get COVID-19 and how serious their infection could be based on their life situation and personal behaviors.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services launched “CV19 CheckUp” -- a free, anonymous tool that evaluates someone’s risks associated with COVID-19.
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Click here to visit the CV19 CheckUp tool online.
“This tool, which we will make available to all Michiganders, helps individuals understand their risk based on their life situation and personal behavior, and offers recommendations to reduce those risks while also connecting people to services if needed,” said Dr. Alexis Travis, senior deputy director of the Aging & Adult Services Agency.
Travis said the tool can be used by all Michigan residents, but it’s specifically designed to help adults 60 and older. It is anonymous and does not require a name, email address or identifier of any type.
The tool used artificial intelligence to analyze each person through an online questionnaire. It is designed for those who are considered high-risk.
The tool’s algorithms are driven by science and medicine, using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
When the questionnaire is completed, “CV19 CheckUp” immediately delivers a personalized report that answers questions such as:
- How likely am I to get COVID-19 or spread it to others?
- If I get COVID-19, how severe would it likely be?
- Where can I find help to ensure my needs are met during the pandemic?
“CV19 CheckUp was developed to fill an urgent public need,” said Jim Firman, chief innovation officer at BellAge. “Our team realized that although there are many resources with information about the virus, all of them require a lot of effort by the user. The average person has to spend considerable time on numerous websites, digging through pages of information looking for answers that are relevant to their specific situation. CV19 CheckUp does the work for them. We developed a hyper-personalized tool that makes it easy for anyone to understand their level of risk and take steps to reduce those risks.”
Health officials also receive data from the tool that helps facilitate developing methods to target populations that are at high risk for COVID-19. Data are completely anonymous, and findings can be used to gain insights on:
- What people know and believe about the pandemic.
- Compliance levels with recommended safety protocols.
- Behaviors by location, race, ethnicity, economic status, etc.
- Unmet needs for health care, social services, financial support.