The Malaysian government has announced a new app for smartphones that will help the Ministry of Health to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Something similar was announced in Singapore recently, and ultimately the goal here is to provide the health authorities with enough information to “take immediate actions in providing the treatments required.”
Available on the Google Play Store, App Store, and the Huawei AppGallery, pretty much any semi-current smartphone should be able to support the app, with iOS 11 and Android 4.4 being the minimum requirements. The app, in itself, is a pretty rudimentary-feeling one. In fact, when first opening the app, there is no option to register from within the app—instead, you’ll need to open your browser, and click here to sign up.
There’s quite a bit of personal information to sign up with, and MySejahtera says any and all information will only be used for “the purpose of managing and mitigating the COVID-19 outbreak”. MySejahtera is managed by MOH, along with the help of the National Security Council (NSC) and MAMPU.
In general, the app has a few features that are rather familiar (to MOH’s portal). There’s a self-assessment test made up of 6 questions on symptoms, contact, travel, and so on—there are only yes and no options. Upon completing an assessment, your information can then be stored in case you need treatment, or if contact tracing to a positive case is required. You can also look to check in with your location and photo, which will also help authorities determine hotspots for the pandemic.
The app also provides a one-stop solution for information, with guidelines on what to do if you suspect contact, or where to get tested. This includes contact information, along with links to their Doctor On Call online service.
Under the Dashboard tab, there’s a feed of updates on the latest situations, including number of confirmed cases, recoveries, and so on. There’s also options to narrow your search down to individual states in Malaysia, as well as a global update that provides total numbers for the pandemic.
The launch of the app comes after Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin revealed that an app to help with contact tracing for COVID-19 was being developed by the authorities.
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