The new tool uses algorithms to analyse factors such as a person’s age, ethnicity, and any pre-existing health conditions to determine likelihood of death if the virus is contracted, as Covid-19 has been shown to affect people differently.

“The tool provides an assessment of individualised risks for mortality from Covid-19 using the best publicly available information on risks associated with various predisposing factors,” the website explains.

The calculator, which is meant to be used by individuals in the US who are not currently infected, begins by asking users to enter their age, zip code, the race or ethnicity they most closely identify with, sex assigned at birth, and their height and weight.

The tool then asks individuals to state whether they have smoked, before asking users if they have been diagnosed with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, hypertension or diabetes.

After completing the questions, the calculator identifies a person’s risk category from one of the following categories: close to or lower than average, moderately elevated, substantially elevated, high or very high.

To continue to accurately determine a risk level, the calculator is updated on a weekly basis to incorporate statistics from community and state levels, which gives users a broader view.

"People may understand broadly that with a pre-existing condition such as obesity or diabetes, for example, they are at higher risk, but with our calculator, they should be able to understand their risk in a way that takes multiple factors into account," Professor Nilanjan Chatterjee, study senior author and Bloomberg distinguished professor of biostatistics and genetic epidemiology, said in a statement.

According to the researchers, which presented the tool in a paper published in the journal Nature Medicine, the calculator could also be vital in determining who receives the vaccine first - by identifying those who have the highest risk of mortality.