PRESS RELEASE: Trans-Pacific dynamic duo combines their powers to create mobile App to fight COVID and other long term health challenges

Brisbane, Australia and Denver, USA – Australian-based software developer (David Nimmo, Neoviz Pty Ltd) and a USA–based non-profit resiliency coach (Joanna Douglas Rainey) have invested hundreds of hours of their own time since April this year to create a free health-focused app to encourage people to actively monitor their own health conditions. The resulting app – My Wellness Diary – is now available on both iOS and Android.

Introduced in April by a mutual friend, the unlikely duo immediately clicked with what they could both bring to the project and with the idea that together they could create something to help individuals and communities fighting the deadly Coronavirus and its longer-term health impacts. As development progressed, they realized the app had broader benefits to sufferers of other mental and physical chronic health issues.

Jonna emphasised that a key focus for the app was simplicity. “When we looked at the market, there were existing apps attempting similar things, but they built in too many bells-and-whistles – user feedback often complained they were cumbersome, had too many steps to sign-in, and didn’t focus on user privacy. We took all this feedback on board when designing My Wellness Diary and have built an app which is simple to use, respects user privacy and does one thing well – allowing users to track key symptoms daily to support self-monitoring and sharing with medical and mental health professionals.”

• WHO reports that over 67 million individuals have been directly impacted by Coronavirus globally and nearly 15 million in the USA alone. (https://covid19.who.int/table)
• The Harvard Medical School reports that between 50%-80% of patients continue to suffer from “long-haul” symptoms “three months after the onset of COVID-19 — even after tests no longer detect virus in their body.” (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-tragedy-of-the-post-covid-long-haulers-2020101521173)
• The WHO and other health authorities have promoted the benefits of active self-monitoring of health for at risk individuals for COVID-19.(https://www.upstate.edu/publichealth/pdf/selfmonitor_postsecondary.pdf)

Rainey came up with the app concept while she was volunteering on local and international Coronavirus response teams. She realized there was a need for a simple way to record and keep track of health symptoms. “It’s been such a difficult year for so many around the world. I wanted to create a tool that could help people manage one part of that stress.” Nimmo was keen to contribute his company’s skills to address one of the world’s current biggest challenges. “Joanna’s idea was very timely, and I knew the need was huge in the USA – and many other countries – compared to Australia. And the app has applications beyond COVID-19.”

For further information contact David Nimmo ([email protected] ph: +61 (0)431162692 or Joanna Douglas Rainey ([email protected] ph +1 (720) 432 5633