[ad_1] These normally privacy-forward sources are saying this in response to the pandemic, obviously. But it’s also because companies that track, target, identify and surveil individuals are pitching their technologies to ID and trace the infected — in shady backroom discussions with the White House. The pandemic has us all in vulnerable positions, and some […]
Category: medicine
Instacart workers will strike over lack of COVID-19 protections
[ad_1] Among their demands, Instacart Shoppers are requesting protective supplies like hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. They’re also asking for hazard pay — an additional $5 per order — and an extension of pay for workers impacted by COVID-19. The deadline to qualify for those benefits was originally April 8th, but the company has pushed […]
Apple unveils its own COVID-19 screening app and website
[ad_1] Because you can never have too many testing resources during an unprecedented global pandemic, Apple has introduced a new app and website for screening COVID-19 symptoms. Developed together with the CDC, both tools step you through a series of questions related to the coronavirus to figure out the best course of action. Sure, it’s […]
The psychological impact of COVID-19 isolation, as explained by scientists
[ad_1] Social isolation can generally be defined as “the absence of social interactions, contacts, and relationships with family and friends, with neighbors on an individual level, and with ‘society at large’ on a broader level,” as Robert L Berg stated in The Second Fifty Years. This isn’t just some amped up offshoot of cabin fever, […]
Alexa can tell you what to do if you think you have COVID-19
[ad_1] The service is also available in Japan, where Alexa provides Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare guidance. And if you’re in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, India, the UK and the US, you can ask Alexa to sing a song for 20 seconds, as a way to time how long you wash your hands. […]
Airbnb hosts can volunteer to house COVID-19 responders
[ad_1] Accordingly, Airbnb has introduced a donation tool that lets people contribute to partners supporting COVID-19 relief efforts. The project has its roots in pilot programs in France and Italy, where healthcare workers can already get free stays through Airbnb. There are close to 6,000 hosts in those countries, and Airbnb hopes its new program […]
Alphabet’s Verily shows how its drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites work
[ad_1] First, Verily asks that you complete an online screener. If you qualify for a test, you’ll get an appointment time. When you arrive, you’ll check in and show your license through your closed car window. Then, staff will match your ID with a lab kit and attach the info to your windshield. You’ll drive […]
European mobile carriers will share location data to track COVID-19 spread
[ad_1] The data will be aggregated and anonymized, the official said. The Commission will also delete the info when the pandemic is over. The European Data Protection Supervisor also wants the Commission to “clearly define” the data it wants to collect, maintain transparency and limit access to epidemiologists and other relevant experts. Separately, the World […]
The Weather Channel brings localized COVID-19 updates to your phone
[ad_1] This new coronavirus tracking will be available in The Weather Channel iOS and Android apps, on weather.com/coronavirus and in an online dashboard. The offerings include AI-powered “Incident Maps,” which show stats like confirmed COVID-19 cases by US state and county, and trend graphs that show spread by US state. There are links to the […]
Computex 2020 is delayed to September
[ad_1] What’s surprising here is not that Computex is the latest tech conference to be affected by the outbreak, but that its organizers feel confident they’ll be able to hold an event this year at all. In most cases, we’ve seen other organizations such as the GSMA and ESA outright cancel events like Mobile World […]