Mobile Phone App Tracks Cold, Flu and Cough Activity

Every once in a while news hits your wire that makes you go, “Huh?”

 

Matrixx Initiatives, maker of Zicam Cold Remedy, has announced the launch of the Zicam Cold & Flu Companion mobile application for the T-Mobile G1, an Android-powered phone. The same mobile application will be released for the iPhone (News - Alert) in the middle of this month.

 

The application lets… uh… we’ll just quote company officials here: it “enables on-the-go consumers to take charge of their health by checking cold and flu activity by ZIP code, among other features.”

 

That’s right. “In time for the start of cold and flu season, this application allows active users to access up-to-date information from any location,” company officials say.

 

Evidently they know there’s a market out there – in mid-November Google (News - Alert) launched Flu Trends, a Web service that can show if the number of flu cases is increasing in areas around the United States.

 

The Zicam Cold & Flu Companion mobile application, shown at right, provides greater detail than this service, according to the Zicammers, by “showing users the percentage of sick people in any given zip code, what types of symptoms are most prevalent and which ones to look out for in a specific area.” How such information is collected, accurate statistics on who has the cold in a certain area, is beyond First Coffee’s ken.

 

The application also keeps users “updated on the latest cold and flu news… so they are prepared no matter where they are.” I must say, it does sound wonderful.

 

Tim Connors, vice president of marketing at Matrixx, says knowing the latest cold and flu news and “understanding the cold, flu and cough activity in a localized area” can aid consumers in “being aware of the risks around them.”

 

The application is currently available for Android (News - Alert)-powered phones at the Android Marketplace on the user’s T-Mobile G1 device and will be available in mid-December for the iPhone at the iTunes App Store

 

Matrixx develops and sells over-the-counter healthcare products using drug delivery systems. Zicam, LLC, its wholly-owned subsidiary, markets and sells Zicam and Nasal Comfortproducts in the cough and cold category, and Xcid antacid in the digestive health category.