The government of India has developed a contact tracing app, the Aarogya Setu App, to tackle with the COVID-19 outbreak. This app is already being considered as a powerful tool to deal with the situation.

The main purpose of developing this app is for the incorporation of all the services and information related to COVID-19. This app augments the initiatives taken by the Government and the Department of Health, which aims to reach out to the users and informing them about the risks, and the best practices to be followed along with advisories related to the containment of the Coronavirus. This app is supposed to act as the single point of access for all the Suraksha retail stores, night shelters and food shelters that the government is launching across different parts of the country.

Features of the app-

• The tracking on the Aarogya Setu App is done with a Bluetooth & Location generated social graph, based upon the user’s interaction with a person who might have tested COVID-19 positive. The app sends notification alert if the user has knowingly or unknowingly come in close proximity of someone who has tested COVID-19 positive.
• The app works on the basis of contact tracing and works in identifying possible coronavirus ‘hotspot’ around the user’s area. This is an initiative by the government to help the citizens stay safe and follow the necessary precautionary measures in areas where there are reported cases and prevent the case of community transmission to a certain extent.
• The app has a feature of geotagging, which can alert the user about their proximity to a nearby case or hotspot. Users of the app can self-identify their risk and accordingly monitor their health.
• The Aarogya Setu app helps users identify symptoms, and alert them about precautions concerning the spread of Coronavirus.
• The app has also listed down quarantine measures for users who are in the ‘high-risk’ category and aims to help people with a travel history with tips of self-quarantining to prevent the risk of transmission.

Upcoming features-

• This app will also get a national telemedicine platform integrated in it which will come of assistance to people who are suffering from any kind of illness and require the consultation of a doctor which can be done remotely.
• Another important thing that the government wants is this app to act as an interface which will ensure that once the lockdown is lifted partially or fully, no person who is at risk will be permitted to travel anywhere.
• After the announcement of the second phase of lockdown till May 3, some areas are being put for a graded system for relaxation. With the help of this location-based Aarogya Setu App, the government is planning to use it in the form of an e-pass for facilitating people to move around freely in areas that are marked green and are considered safe.

What about the data safety?

In an interview with a leading news channel, NITI Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant, has said that the Aarogya Setu app is top class when it comes to matters of privacy, which has been the main concern for the government. In the coming days, the app will be combined with artificial intelligence and big data to improve its performance.

The aim of the government-

Government officials are expecting that the risk may rise exponentially once the lockdown is lifted and this is why every citizen is being requested to download this app. Prime Minister Narendra Modiji made a request to all on April 14, 2020 to do the same and a record of over 20 million downloads were noted in the next two days which makes the total downloaded count at approximately 60 million. But the real aim of the government will be fulfilled when almost the entire population of 350 million people are on this app so that the full potentiality of the app can be gained. A number of social media campaign are being run by the government to promote the download of this app.

If you have already downloaded this app then it is indeed grateful on your part as you are supporting this initiative of the government in trying to keep everyone safe. If you haven’t yet downloaded the app, then this will be the second best thing to do for you in this fight against COVID-19; the first step being staying indoors, until it’s too essential or until you are a warrior in the fight against the pandemic.

Android Users can download Aarogya Setu App here:
https://bit.ly/AndroidAarogyaSetu

 iOS Users can download Aarogya Setu App here:
https://bit.ly/iOSAarogyaSetu