BOSTON — The Harvard Health Publications Division of Harvard Medical School has launched an iPhone application focused on the H1N1 flu pandemic.
The school’s goal is to provide the public with the best available information on public health-related issues, including practical advice on how to reduce risks and how to respond in the event of a public health threat.
“People are increasingly receiving information through mobile devices which are always with us to give us answers — anytime, anywhere,” said Harvard Health Publications Editor-in-Chief Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “People who have a question about their health want an answer now.”
The H1N1 flu iPhone application includes science-based information on the state of the pandemic’s spread; practical steps people can take to mitigate their risk of infection; key symptoms to watch for; and how to act in case of a suspected infection. The application includes video content as well as text, animated illustrations, and links to government databases. In addition, the application provides businesses with specific information on how to best prepare their enterprises for managing through the pandemic, developed in collaboration with Harvard Business School Publishing.
The H1N1 iPhone application is the first of a series of such applications that will be part of HMSMobile, which was developed in cooperation with The Imagine Network as a strategic partner.
