Apple's COVID-19 Screening Tool Now Lets You Anonymously Share Your Responses With Health Authorities

Apple has updated its COVID-19 screening tool with an option for users to anonymously share their responses with Apple, state public health agencies, and the CDC, including their age, symptoms, and more, as noted by TechCrunch.

apple covid app screenshots
Apple says the information collected will be used to improve the tool and to better understand the spread of COVID-19. The company ensures that no personally identifiable information will be shared, such as your name or your phone number. Your information will also be aggregated with others' responses as an additional privacy measure.

Apple's commitment to privacy:

If you choose to share your responses, they will be provided to Apple in a way that does not personally identify you. Apple will then provide reports to the CDC and approved state public health agencies. Only information that has been both de-identified and aggregated will be provided to the CDC and state public health agencies. This means that no information that could identify you or your individual responses to the tool will be included. Information about the pre-existing conditions you select will also not be shared; only the total number of conditions that you select.

The CDC and approved state public health agencies may only use the information to improve the tool and for purposes related to managing the COVID‑19 pandemic. Further, the CDC and state public health agencies are required to comply with privacy and security protections, including not further disclosing the information and implementing appropriate safeguards.

Apple's screening tool allows users to answer a series of questions regarding risk factors, recent exposure, and symptoms and receive CDC recommendations on next steps, including guidance on social distancing and self-isolating, how to closely monitor symptoms, whether or not a test is recommended at this time, and when to contact a medical provider.

The tool, available online and as an iPhone app, also offers access to COVID-19 resources to help people stay informed and get support. For example, there are answers to frequently asked questions about the virus.

The screening tool can be used by anyone who is 18 years of age or older in the United States. Apple says the tool does not replace instructions from healthcare providers or guidance from state and local health authorities.

Top Rated Comments

Pangalactic Avatar
49 months ago
Reminded me of the Onion sketch about the Google village:

"If you have any questions about the Google Village, just type them in an email to a friend, and Google will get back to you"
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nattK Avatar
49 months ago
If only they can include the contact tracing API into the app right now... What's the point of spending so much effort creating the API when almost no app in the US takes advantage of it.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Donahue Avatar
49 months ago

Apple should provide a version of iOS that doesn’t even have the code for this dystopian BS
I refuse to update with this stuff in place. If it means never updating or buying another device. So be it.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
travelsheep Avatar
49 months ago
As you can see with the first screenshot: it looks so much better without notch!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orthorim Avatar
49 months ago

Apple should provide a version of iOS that doesn’t even have the code for this dystopian BS
Glad we're finally in the majority here in the comments

Hey Tim Cook even the WHO admits now it was a hoax - well not in these words but they're suddenly like, ummm.... well actually nobody gets infected by asymtpmatic carriers.

Even the CDC now admits, that despite all the cheating possible and classifying car accident victims as covid on suspicion, the death rate amounts to 0.26%... the real, corrected, actual death rate for people dying of this virus without any co-morbidities or gunshot wounds will be another order of magnitude lower.

Everyone's getting out of it... please remove this crap. Oh and I'm on 13.4 forever or until it's removed.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calzon65 Avatar
49 months ago
Sure its "anonymous" until some smart person uncovers the stored information can be linked back to a person's identity. :confused:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...