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Coronavirus

Shlonik App

A couple of days ago the Ministry of Health launched a new app called Shlonik. As of this post, it seems like it’s only available for iOS devices but I’m assuming it’s also going to be available for Android phones soon (Update: It’s available already).

Shlonik is an interactive app used to assist the Ministry of Health in Kuwait to engage with all citizens and residents and ensure their safety with focus on COVID-19 pandemic.

Shlonik offers a variety of features such as the latest health updates, a health Bot, a self check-in mechanism for quarantined patients, vitals reporting and a communication tool with the MOH medical teams.

Shlonik is the combined effort of MOH, the Kuwait Central Agency of Information Technology and Zain.

I installed the app and the first thing that caught my attention was the fact it wanted me to turn location tracking on and give the app access to the Apple Health app data. According to Arab Times, the app will be used by people returning to Kuwait from abroad and is meant to help the Ministry keep track of those who are meant to be quarantined at home. To prevent quarantiners from leaving their phone at home and just leaving the house, the app can send a message at random times which needs to be answered. If it isn’t answered within 5 minutes, then the Ministry prevention team will start taking action.

The app has a health bot called the Assessment Agent. If you’re feeling unwell and want to know if you might have Coronavirus symptoms, you get in touch with the agent and answer a few questions. I’m not sure this is working right now since it can’t currently get past the first question no matter if you answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

I haven’t seen the app mentioned on any official Ministry account so it’s safe to assume it hasn’t officially launched yet and they are still finalizing a few things. If you’re an iPhone user and want to download the app, here is the link. If you’re an Android user here is your link.

Thanks Fahad

55 replies on “Shlonik App”

Bahrain’s been doing it in coordination with giving people ankle bracelets for those who are quarantining at home which is a very smart move.

I’m in India now I want change my shlonik app mobile phone number
Me try to register my civil I’d but response only already registered another number buy that number already use another person
How can change my phone number in shlonik app ?

Is this something similar to contact-tracing? interesting to know if it can be tricked by spoofing your location…..

Similar app was launched in India also. Aarogya Setu. In addition, it also informs if you have come across any person who is infected and you have a chance of exposure.

Imagine while taking a shower and the app wants to confirm my location. I have only 5 minutes to answer the call.. I would have to run towards the phone without my clothes on haha

Someone can leave their phone at home and have one of their relatives answer those messages. A better solution would be ankle bracelets

The application is specifically made for people coming back from abroad. Because, like Mark mentioned, the arrivals will be in home quarantine, the main goal of the app is monitor that they are at home.

Its quite redundant to use it if you are not one of these people, the self assessment is pretty basic and actions to take are just plain common sense by now.

Mark knows that I have always been very critical of Kuwait and some might say I’m negative or have a chip on my shoulder because life for me here has been so rough as an expat. But I truly have to say Wallah I am so incredibly proud of Kuwait and how they are handling this crisis.

I have never felt so proud before to live here and I am so happy to see the treatment towards the foreigners from the government. I have gained a new appreciation for the government and their generousity. I am so thankful for the fast response and deligent care to enforce good practices to contain the virus. GOOD JOB Kuwait! BRAVO

well two things:

1) Daily Mail is a tabloid so don’t believe everything you read there
2) We kinda knew already that corona can be carried on objects and different material

I have it and its tracking my movement as I am still working its good to have just incase some one was in close proximity to me and later on developed symptoms and tested positive it will notify me and ask me to go and test before I go around and spread it even further if I got it its really smart and must have for everyone living in Kuwait

This is unrelated but I wanted to ask you Mark. Why are comments moderated before they are posted? Will you be held liable if someone writes something controversial on your blog or Is it just a personal preference?

He is liable for any content posted though not sure on the comments. I would safely assume it’s to control unruly elements before they get out of hand. He often posts topics that generate fervent discussions so it’s a necessary step

While abroad waiting for the evacuation process to take place, we’ve been receiving emails and notifications from the embassy and cultural offices ( for students) to make sure to have the app installed and create an account or else we woudl not be issued a departure ticket if we dont show that we did actually sign up.

Should be downloaded by everyone honestly, not just those returning from abroad. I don’t leave the house at all, not even to get something from my car, I buy everything online. How can I know that the guy delivering to my house hasn’t just been delivering to someone who has been quarantined or been in contact with suspected cases?
I am not too happy having the MOI and Civil ID app on my phone and I am sure there is some backdoor there, but I am more than willing to give up my privacy temporarily until this crisis ends and we have no more new cases.

Hi.

Does anyone know legally acceptable ways of passing money to people in lockdown in Jleeb and Mahboula? Is there any government-approved way of helping these people?

They might be running out of money/food due to the inability to work. Can we help out without breaking the law?

If you could find out and share, Mark, it would be a very good deed.May God bless you.

If they have a bank account, they could send you a “Pay me” link then they could withdraw that money at the closest ATM.

The only way i can think of at the moment is If they have a bank account and a debit card, You can send them money through the Banking app

Well, I downloaded the app but it crashed on my phone right after launching it. Guess I’ll find out the hard way once I get to the airport if I can board the plane….

Hey, so I will be travelling soon and I wanted to know if you’d need a KUWAITI Sim card for this app or any internet source like Wifi would do?

I could not activate location services on my iPhone for the Shlonik App. Anyone else encountered this problem? Is there a helpline to phone? Not really getting help in 151.

I am in quarantine but my check in is not working and i keep getting notifications and calls to check in ! Any clue who to call ?

I arrived back yesterday. I am in quarantine. Loaded Shlonik App. Registered. And diligently input my picture when asked for at random times.

But I get messages that you have not checked in yet. I called 22092424 as advised and was put into a long cue. It wasn’t answered in One Hour.

Shlonik is very poorly Supported. MoH cannot handle the implementation and the customer service. Very disappointed

true ! even if u miss a few check ins – there is no feedback from them.. esp the last day we didnt even get any notification to check in. well – i guess you gotta to what you gotta do!

Does the shlonik app ask for a selfie at random times 24/7 even during sleeping ours (for example 3 am or 5 am? or only during certain hours of the day? Do they still require ankle bracelets or just selfies?

The timings for the selfie is reasonably random. They start usually at about 10am and the latest one was not later than 10pm, so it won’t bother you in the middle of the night!

Hi im on my 6th day of quarantine and have to travel from kuwait to pakistan soon. I need to know if i am allowed to travel before my 14 days of quarantine are over. Can someone help me out…

Hello, i took a new kuwait number and trying to register in shlonik but its not working. The app says that cant register with this number and civil id.. can anyone help?
Also they are not attending my call

Hello, i took a new kuwait number and trying to register in shlonik but its not working. The app says that cant register with this number and civil id.. can anyone help?
Also they are not attending my call

I have a issue with shlonik app before I was planning to come kuwiat in june I download that app and put Indian number and register but after that phone got broke and now I am in kuiwat since 3 I am trying to registered my new number with my civil I’d no but not takeing even I try to talk customer care also but no one answering I waited 1 hr but no one pickup the call tell me please what to do as soon as possbile I m wiating

Hello, i took a new kuwait number and trying to register in shlonik but its not working. The app says that cant register with this number and civil id.. can anyone help?
Also they are not attending my call

They said this app is one of the most invasive in the world. Yes, it is but it’s justified.

I don’t mind.

What I do mind is that it’s not the most effective.

I have just returned from Abu Dhabi after quarantining for 14 days and I must say that the difference in the systems is night and day. The moment we arrived at the Airport, we had a PCR swab, then we were ordered to carry a bracelet. After 12 days, we had the PCR swab again and only when we turned out negative were the bracelets removed.

We booked the Etihad flight and it offered PCR test free of charge. How convenient.

When we reached Kuwait, we were asked to install the Shlonik. Asked to sign some papers. Asked to present negative PCR test. Asked some questions, and boom. We were out.

The flaw with shlonik is that you could leave your phone at your house and you can go outside. By 2nd day, you can easily read the pattern of selfie checks. This is not a good system.

Also, when we were quarantining in Abu Dhabi, we spend money on hotels, deliveries through talabat, and did some online shopping.

If the economic managers of Kuwait had the foresight to help the business sector, they could have allowed other nationalities from 34 banned countries to quarantine in hotels.

The hotels could have benefited from the quarantine and local restaurants could have made a lot of money too from the deliveries.

Goodafternoon. I red some issues same with ours. After uninstalling and installing the application i cant login the account it keep on saying not registered or wrong number. We bought a new number a Kuwait number notified the Shlonik app via whatsapp for update but still we cannot log in. The Shlonik app number via whatsapp was given by the MOH when I tried to call them. Before leaving the airport also weve talked to some MOH staff and they told us just to wait for the call. Anyone here resolved the same issue. Thank you

Hi bro even I have the same issue but seriously i am confused now whom to contact I tried everything I could what we have to do dont know. We need clearance certificate from MOH to resume our duty. What they said will they solve our problem??

Hello sir, mam
Please help me. I am in the quarantin now.
I had come in kuwait before 3 days ago nd dowenloded shlonik app after 2 days sholink app had deleted. When i am going to regester with a civil id and number. It needs a code no bt code no didn’ come. So what shoud i do please reaply my answer sir,mam

Hello,please tell me if I my phone choose wrong location a little different with currently location?.I tried to change but I can’t.Any phone number MoH and support didn’t answer.And Shlonik send me notifications like stay home.What I should do?

I have a colleague who has just arrived today in Kuwait for the first time. It will take a while before he receives a civil ID. It appears that he cannot activate Shlonik without a civil ID. He already tried using his visa number but that did not work. Has anyone else here encountered the same issue? How did you resolve it? Please help. Thanks

hello, can I ask if how to update the mobile number here in shlonik? because I changed the number because i lost the old one. I already informed the registration during my arrival but I cannot log in now , it says that my civil id is already registered to different number, help me please thank you

I am facing similar problem. My old number expired and i tried to register with new number saying you are already registered. Need support and help

Hi salam
I’m finished my quarantine September 4, now I want to renewal my civil I’d card but computer said civil I’d card blocked, I can’t get appointment, because I don’t have quarantine end certificate, what can I do for that please if u have idea about that let me know🙏

I’m in India now I want change my shlonik app mobile phone number
Me try to register my civil I’d but response only already registered another number buy that number already use another person
How can change my phone number in shlonik app ?

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