Users worried they might have coronavirus symptoms can now ask Alexa, Amazon's (NASDAQ: AMZN) virtual AI assistant, and get advice based on CDC guidelines. While not a substitute for actual medical testing and recommendations, the program is now equipped to provide a thumbnail assessment of a user's risk level based on their answers to a series of questions. The news comes after Amazon pledged to help fight the pandemic, alongside other tech companies.
Alexa owners can start the querying process by asking, "Alexa, what do I do if I think I have coronavirus?" Alexa then conducts a brief question-and-answer session to determine what type of symptoms the user has, how many people they've been recently exposed to, and where they've traveled recently.
Image source: Amazon.
Based on the answers, Alexa provides a symptom and risk level summary based on CDC protocols in the U.S., or Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare standards for users in Japan. The digital assistant also provides suggestions on what the user should do, based on risk and symptoms. A database of COVID-19 info also lets the user catch up on the latest news about the pandemic.
In the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, France, Brazil, and India Alexa users can also request 20 seconds of music to wash their hands to, ensuring that they've scrubbed for the recommended time. The Alexa coronavirus service can be accessed on any device capable of supporting the digital assistant, including Echo, Fire TV, Fire tablets, smartphones, Kindle, and similar devices.
Find out why Amazon is one of the 10 best stocks to buy now
Motley Fool co-founders Tom and David Gardner have spent more than a decade beating the market. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*
Tom and David just revealed their ten top stock picks for investors to buy right now. Amazon is on the list -- but there are nine others you may be overlooking.
Click here to get access to the full list!
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 18, 2020
John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Rhian Hunt has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon and recommends the following options: short January 2022 $1940 calls on Amazon and long January 2022 $1920 calls on Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
