Image courtesy CWC
A new desktop and mobile app launched this week to provide accurate information, social support and helpful resources for Wisconsinites about COVID-19. COVID-19 Wisconsin Connect (CWC) will deliver important information where it’s needed – at home on desktops, or in pockets on mobile phones.
In order to stay connected and find sources of valuable, trusted information, a team from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the UW-Madison was assembled to help fact check and debunk misinformation on the app. Researchers at UW-Madison scrape rumors circulating on social media in Wisconsin and provide vetted information from government and health sources to address them.
Users can interact in discussion rooms where they can get support, but also give support and answers in live, open chat rooms moderated by health and social support experts.
The app also includes meditations from Healthy Minds Innovations to help users relax. Audio meditations teach the skills of stress reduction, resilience and social connectedness.
While the desktop app launched earlier this week, the mobile app is waiting to be approved for release by Apple and Google.
On the app, users can create an account for free and join in on discussions while remaining virtually anonymous. Users must maintain proper Internet behavior.
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Along with information and tips on dealing with all issues surrounding COVID-19, CWC also has resources for mental health, sobriety and recovery, domestic violence or abuse and people with disabilities. Resources are added and updated continuously on the app, so users are encouraged to come back.
To program CWC, a team from the Center for Health Enhancement System Studies (CHESS) at UW-Madison fast-adapted existing CHESS app technology already used to address other health challenges, including breast cancer, lung cancer, substance use disorder and multiple chronic conditions. CHESS staff developed the app content by collaborating with a range of community health and neighborhood organizations across Wisconsin to tailor the app to meet their COVID-19 informational needs. Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer for the Department of Health Services (DHS), is a frequent collaborator with the CHESS project team.
Working in parallel, another team from the university’s Center for Communication and Civic Renewal (CCCR) in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) developed and executed the state-wide marketing launch plan, which includes targeted outreach to those with higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, namely older adults, Latinos and African-Americans.
Seven graduate students at CCCR provide content for the COVID-19 Fact Checker of the app. Using sophisticated data analysis tools, these team members provide vetted, factual information in the app to address the spread of misinformation on social media.
Funding for the project was provided by The Wisconsin Partnership Program through the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The app offers a unique combination of advantages over other COVID-19 apps. It’s the first locally designed app, allowing users to both receive and give help to others in their communities while correcting state-specific misinformation trending on social media. In addition, free meditations by Healthy Minds Innovations allow users to stay “in app” to get vital relaxation exercises. App content will be frequently updated, as Wisconsin’s strategies for mitigating COVID-19 evolve over time. Content in the “misinformation” section of the app will be updated weekly.
