Who are the 1.5 million U.K. citizen scientists?

April 28, 2020

The COVID symptom tracker has now been downloaded over 1.5 million times. As the number of contributors continues to grow we take a look at who they are.

The COVID symptom tracker has now been downloaded over 1.5 million times. As the number of contributors continues to grow we take a look at who they are. Please note that these numbers only reflect app users and give no indication of which contributors present COVID-19 symptoms. As of midday on Thursday 26th March there were 1,325,830 contributors actively reporting their status. Which is 2% of the UK population.

Researchers at King's College London and the NHS are continuing to work tirelessly analysing the symptoms. As soon as they have valuable insights to share, they will publish them and we will link to them here.We are also continuing to improve the app and are working directly with the healthcare system, scientists and policymakers to use the symptom tracker for strategic insight.

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Other updates

Could non-classic symptoms indicate mild COVID?

August 12, 2022

Scientists Tim Spector, Claire Steves and researchers from Kings College London report the state of the nation’s reported symptoms as of 3pm on 27th March 2020.

How your data will help fight COVID-19 in the US

August 12, 2022

As the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic grips the United States, we are recruiting millions of citizen scientists across the nation. Our aim is to slow the outbreak of the disease and identify those at risk sooner. Here's how you can help out from home.

New research on loss of smell or taste

August 12, 2022

Our latest analysis of data from the COVID Symptom Tracker app suggests losing your sense of taste and smell may be the best way to tell whether you have COVID-19. Our researchers share their latest update direct from King's College London.

Sex, hormones and COVID-19: what do we know?

September 23, 2021

How do hormones and sex affect coronavirus and COVID-19?‍ We spoke to women’s health expert, Dr Louise Newson, and Prof Tim Spector to find out more about the links between estrogen, immunity, and COVID-19.

New TrialSpark Antibody Study

September 23, 2021

In a new study launched by Dr. Michael Mina at the Harvard School of Public Health, Massachusetts residents in select zipcodes may be offered at-home antibody tests. 

Research shows some vitamin supplements may have a small effect on COVID-19 risk

September 23, 2021

Can vitamin supplements reduce your risk of catching COVID-19? We’ve been analysing your data to find out.

Why are the daily questions in the COVID Symptom Study app changing?

September 23, 2021

We’ve made some changes to the daily health reporting questions in the COVID Symptom Study app to make it simpler to use and help with research through the winter.

Eating a plant-rich diet helps to protect against COVID-19

September 23, 2021

Results from our diet survey show that people who eat a high quality, plant-rich diet are less likely to catch COVID-19 or end up in the hospital.

Be kind: Five tips for coping with COVID-related anxiety

September 23, 2021

It's only human to feel anxious during a global crisis on the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic. We share our top five tips for dealing with pandemic-related anxiety.

How we’re helping to protect people with cancer during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic

September 23, 2021

In this post, we ask Dr. Alpa Patel from the American Cancer Society how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people with cancer, and how the COVID Symptom Tracker app can help protect cancer patients.

The COVID Symptom Study has revealed six distinct ‘types’ of COVID-19

September 23, 2021

Data from the COVID Symptom Study has revealed six distinct ‘types’ of COVID-19, each distinguished by a particular cluster of symptoms. Learn more about this groundbreaking research, which your daily logging has made possible.

Can estrogen protect against coronavirus? Here are the latest results from the COVID Symptom Study

September 23, 2021

How do the menopause, the contraceptive pill, and hormone replacement therapies affect the risk of suffering from COVID symptoms? We have been analyzing your COVID symptom study data to find out.

You asked: Can exercise protect against COVID-19?

September 23, 2021

Our expert Dr Claire Steves shares insight into the role that exercise plays in supporting immunity, how much exercise we need right now, and some great ideas for how to stay fit during lockdown.‍

Long COVID: What do we know so far?

September 23, 2021

In this webinar, our experts discuss what we have learned about long COVID over the past year, including how it’s defined, who is most likely to get it, potential treatments and the long-term implications.

Our pledge for health equity

September 23, 2021

The events over the past two weeks have shaken us to our core. We invite you to learn, to listen and join us in our pledge for health equity for everyone.

Predicting COVID-19 likelihood with AI

September 23, 2021

Our research has been published in leading medical journal, Nature, today. Learn more about how your data has helped us predict COVID-19 without a test, and how this research could prevent the spread of the disease as lockdown measures are relaxed.

The key to staying mentally healthy during the coronavirus pandemic is kindness

September 23, 2021

Feelings of anxiety are common during a pandemic, so if you are struggling right now, you aren't alone. We take a look at how focusing on compassion and kindness is key to supporting our mental wellbeing during this difficult time.

Does diabetes increase your risk from COVID-19?

September 23, 2021

Our expert, Dr Paul Franks, provides insight into how COVID-19 affects people with diabetes, and what diabetics can do to best protect themselves during the coronavirus pandemic.‍

Millions of COVID Symptom Study app users are helping the hunt for a COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s how.

September 23, 2021

Your daily logging is making a difference. Here's how millions of COVID Symptom Study app users are helping the hunt for a COVID-19 vaccine.

What SARS, MERS, and flu can teach us about how to tackle the coronavirus pandemic

September 23, 2021

In this post, we take a look back at historical pandemics to find out how we can tackle COVID-19, and how our COVID Symptom Study app can help.

App update: Diet & lifestyle questionnaire

September 23, 2021

This week, the COVID Symptom Study app has launched a detailed diet and lifestyle questionnaire to help researchers investigate the impact of diet and lifestyle on COVID-19 symptoms and severity. Here's how you can help.

Do hormone therapies affect COVID-19?

September 23, 2021

The COVID Symptom Study will be working together with NHS England to facilitate key research into better understanding the potential protective effects of hormonal therapies, like HRT or the pill, and COVID-19 risk.

Now in Science Magazine: How the COVID Symptom Study is Detecting Hotspots

September 23, 2021

Our newest publication in the journal Science outlines the efforts of our app to understand risk factors of COVID-19 and its effect on patients’ health in a diverse population.

Double COVID vaccination halves risk of Long COVID

September 23, 2021

Your data shows that double vaccination halves the chances of someone contracting Long COVID. Here’s what the research found.

Testing alone won't contain coronavirus

September 23, 2021

Testing alone won’t contain coronavirus. Find out why we need a combination of strategies, including testing and symptom monitoring, to help us get us out of lockdown and win the fight against COVID-19.

Skin rash should be considered as a fourth key sign of COVID-19

September 23, 2021

Data from the COVID Symptom Study shows that characteristic skin symptoms should be considered as key diagnostic signs of the disease, even in the absence of any other symptoms. 

7 ways to improve diet quality and protect against COVID-19

September 23, 2021

Eating a plant-rich diet can help to protect against COVID-19. Here are our tips to support healthy eating during the pandemic and beyond.

How we’re supporting mental health during COVID-19

September 23, 2021

We’ve launched a survey to support mental health through the ZOE COVID Symptom Study app.

One in 20 people likely to suffer from ‘Long COVID’, but who are they?

September 23, 2021

Our latest study shows that one in 20 people will suffer symptoms for more than 8 weeks and reveals who is most at risk of developing ‘long COVID’.

What is the Delta variant and why is it so dominant?

September 23, 2021

In our latest webinar, our experts discuss what the Delta variant is, why it has become so dominant, and whether the vaccines can still protect us.

You asked: Should I take vitamin supplements for COVID-19?

September 23, 2021

Which supplements should you take to boost your immunity against the novel coronavirus? Do they actually work? And even if they don’t, what’s the harm? We speak to Professor Tim Spector to find out.

Genetics and COVID-19 symptoms

September 23, 2021

Do genes influence COVID-19 symptoms? Our latest data from identical and non-identical twins in the UK shows that genetic makeup does play a significant role in determining whether or not you might develop symptoms of coronavirus infection.

New Spanish Language app!

September 23, 2021

Hemos lanzado una versión en español de la aplicación COVID-19 Symptom Study! / We have launched a Spanish language version of the COVID-19 Symptom Study app!

Nourishing your body during lockdown

September 23, 2021

Have your eating habits changed during lockdown? We caught up with two of our nutritionists to find out how being at home more often has influenced their food choices and what they've been eating during lockdown.

Join this week's webinar

September 23, 2021

Sign up for this week's webinar! Dr Claire Steves and Professor Tim Spector will delve into the latest data from the COVID Symptom Study, including risk factors we've identified that may put individuals at risk of hospitalisation due to COVID.

Why do we need a vaccine for COVID-19?

September 23, 2021

Vaccines help protect us by giving us immunity without having to get sick. In this post we take a closer look at how they are developed, and when we might expect a coronavirus vaccine to be available.

Protecting healthcare workers from COVID-19

September 23, 2021

Learn more about how our COVID-19 symptom tracker app is generating data that will help to protect healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic in this interview with lead researcher, Dr. Andrew Chan.

Is my skin rash a COVID-19 symptom?

September 23, 2021

Early reports suggest that skin can be affected by SARS-COV-2 in up to 20% of cases. We talk to two dermatologists to learn more about three main types of skin rashes associated with COVID-19 infection.

COVID-19 and the Risk of Being a Frontline Healthcare Worker

September 23, 2021

Frontline healthcare workers in US and UK are at much higher risk of testing positive for COVID-19, and those without access to proper PPE are even more vulnerable. Using the COVID Symptom Study app, we are examining the magnitude of the risk on healthcare workers.

Is being overweight a COVID-19 risk?

September 23, 2021

In this article, we explore why obesity might be a risk factor for becoming seriously ill with COVID-19, and why it’s so important to gather data to understand who is most at risk.

Eating to support gut health and immunity

September 23, 2021

Recent research suggests that gut health is linked to a well-functioning immune system. As the world faces the coronavirus pandemic, here are some suggestions for what you can eat to support your gut and help keep you well.

Has COVID changed the way we eat?

September 23, 2021

In October we set out to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we eat and live. With over 1.5 million participants, this is the world's largest study into diet and COVID-19. Here's what we've learned from the study so far.

Increased risk of COVID-19 among healthcare workers

September 23, 2021

In an analysis of information from the U.K. and U.S., frontline healthcare workers had a nearly 12-times higher risk of testing positive for COVID-19.

Now in the New England Journal of Medicine: The Importance of Digital Surveillance

September 23, 2021

In our new paper in the New England Journal of Medicine, we discuss how digital strategies like the COVID Symptom Study app are aiding efforts being made as we fight COVID-19.

Frontline healthcare workers more likely to test positive for COVID despite PPE

September 23, 2021

A new study published in Lancet Public Health has found that front-line healthcare workers with adequate PPE have a three-fold increased risk of COVID-19 infection, compared with the general population.

US COVID Symptom Tracker Data by State

September 23, 2021

We have received more than 1 million assessments from more than 150,000 COVID Symptom Tracker app users across the United States. We are happy to share state-by-state results for prevalence of symptoms and testing rates. Are you assisting our nationwide effort?

New app questions: Lifestyle and diabetes

September 23, 2021

Research suggests that nutrition and metabolic health may have a significant impact on who is most at risk of getting severe forms of COVID-19. Find out more about how these new key questions aim to help us better understand and reduce these risks.

Lockdown eating insights: Has the pandemic turned us into a nation of snackers?

September 23, 2021

New data from the COVID Symptom Study suggests that snacking and alcohol consumption has increased significantly in the U.S. during lockdown, but what does this mean for our waistlines and health?

You asked: What should I eat during the pandemic?

September 23, 2021

Are you struggling to know how to eat healthily during the COVID-19 pandemic? We asked our experts for advice on how to eat to best support immunity and tips for what you can do if you are struggling to buy fresh fruit and vegetables at the moment.

Webinar: COVID-19 in the USA vs the UK

September 23, 2021

We speak to our research leaders Professor Tim Spector and Professor Andy Chan about similarities and differences around COVID-19 in the USA and the UK - two countries with very different health systems and approaches to the crisis.

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