For those of you who’ve wondered whether your phone can serve as a doctor during the coronavirus pandemic, the answer is yes. Well, sort of.
Apple recently updated Siri, its voice assistant, to offer help to people if they have questions about the coronavirus pandemic, according to CNBC.
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Just ask Siri something like, “Hey Siri, do I have the coronavirus?”
At that point, Siri will walk you through a protocol approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Answers are also provided by the U.S. Public Health Service.
Siri will ask whether you’re experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 such as a dry cough, shortness of breath or fever, and then give advice for people who say they have extreme or life-threatening symptoms to call 911.
For those who say their symptoms are not extreme or life-threatening, Siri will then say to stay home and avoid contact with other people, and contact a medical provider should their condition increase in severity.
The service is currently intended for users in the United States.