France launches online test to assess coronavirus symptoms, propose treatment

France this week launched an online test aimed at helping people who are worried they may have contracted the coronavirus to assess their symptoms, and guide them as to what steps to take next.

The test, approved by the French health ministry, went live on Wednesday on the website maladiecoronavirus.fr. It contains 24 questions related to the most common symptoms experienced by people who have developed the COVID-19 illness after being infected with the coronavirus.

Questions range from “have you had a fever in the past few days?” and “what is your temperature?”, to “have you experienced abnormal fatigue?” or “experienced any respiratory problems?”

At the end of the test, which is based on an algorithm tracking the latest scientific discoveries related to the coronavirus and its contraction, users are also asked to answer questions about their weight, height, age, and additional information concerning their general state of health.

They are then advised on whether they should contact a doctor for further consultation, call the emergency services, or whether they appear unlikely to have contracted the virus.

“The test is not a diagnosis, but rather a health assessment so that people know where to turn,” Dr. Fabrice Denis, a member of the newly established Digital Alliance Against COVID-19, which developed the test, told AFP.  

Over the weekend, the test was widely shared on social media. “I did the test,” Twitter user Léonie Messix wrote, adding several crying emojis, after she received a recommendation to contact her doctor based on her symptoms.

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