COVID-19 patient registry could inform lockdown exit strategy

Recruitment for a patient registry app for COVID-19 is underway, which could help governments find their way out of lockdown by remote monitoring of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients following diagnosis.

Digital research company ObvioHealth has launched the Obvio-19 platform, which will use an app to monitor 10,000 Americans during the coronavirus pandemic.

The registry will remotely enrol and collect data on medical history, immune response and symptoms in the general population over a period of six months for each participant.

It’s hoped that the study will offer insights on evolution of symptoms, flag risk factors associated with infection, and provide further information on how the immune system responds to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the disease.

Data collected could be useful as governments across the world look for exit strategies for the lockdowns that are helping to suppress the virus but causing economic misery across the globe, with millions of people stuck at home unable to work.

ObvioHealth began recruitment yesterday while awaiting final app approval from Google and Apple.

Once the app goes live participants will receive an email with instructions on how to download it, and will complete a questionnaire on demographics, medical history, contact with infected individuals and daily symptoms related to COVID-19.

Those who have previously tested positive or show or develop symptoms may receive a finger-prick test to assess their immune response and report results via the app.

ObvioHealth was founded in 2017 by health consulting agency SPRIM and is backed by Tikehau Capital and life sciences contract research and services firm IQVIA.

In a separate development, digital health firm Ada Health has launched a COVID-19 assessment and screening app.

Ada’s existing services use artificial intelligence to assess symptoms and this has now been expanded to cover COVID-19.

The new screener is available on the company’s website and is free to use and can be embedded by partners, health systems and care providers to support efforts against the disease.

Ada said the app will be regularly updated and will enable users to receive more personalised and regionally-specific guidance, advice, and care navigation.

It is currently available in English, but will be made available in French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic and other languages in the coming days.