Use and Users of the Web-Based Omaolo Covid-19 Symptom Self-Assesment Tool in Finland Since March 16, 2020

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2021 May 27:281:739-743. doi: 10.3233/SHTI210270.

Abstract

In Finland, it is possible to quickly produce medical symptom self-assessment tools within the existing infrastructure. The Finnish Omaolo Covid-19 web-based symptom self-assessment tool (symptom checker) was launched on March 16, 2020 after a 6-day development period. By using the web-based Omaolo Covid-19 symptom checker during the second wave of the epidemic, some 1.72 million questionnaires were recorded, out of which 1.55 million from symptomatic persons. Some 15% of the responses (245,500) were directed to seek emergency medical care based on the online screening by respondent response profiles.

Keywords: Covid-19; Finland; digital epidemiology; symptom assessment.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Finland
  • Humans
  • Internet
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Surveys and Questionnaires