An App for Germs

There are apps for commuters. Apps for cyclists. Apps for coffee connoisseurs, apps for dieters, apps for philatelists.

Now, there’s an app for germs.

At The Glass Room, the “Disease Surveillance” installation offers a glimpse of Sickweather, the app that — with the help of a canny algorithm — trawls social media for people posting about their illnesses. Contributions are welcome, too: Know of a city block with an usually high concentrations of sneezes, coughs, and fevers? Share your findings.

Sickweather has largely been met with praise. “It’s really great if you’re a parent,” says the TODAY Show. In the Play Store, Sickweather has garnered 292 and five-star reviews.

Sickweather’s output is a disease forecast — a map that spotlights sickness and symptoms with startling accuracy. Now you know who and where to avoid. (Just hope your neighborhood isn’t on the blacklist.)