All you need to know about the Aarogya Setu App

To contain the spread of novel coronavirus, the government has launched the Aarogya Setu App to trace, track, treat and test COVID-19 Infection.

After its launch five days ago, Aarogya Setu, a mobile app developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT to help people recognize their risk of contracting the novel coronavirus, has notched up over 10 million downloads.
The app is there on both Google Play (for Android phones) and Apple App Store (for ioS). It is available in 11 languages, 10 Indian languages, and English.

Aarogya Setu means a “bridge of health” in Sanskrit.
It tells users if they can catch coronavirus.
Through GPS & Bluetooth it determines if a person is near or has been in contact with a coronavirus infected person. It also tells hygiene practices to be followed during the pandemic.

How to use this App?

Download the app from the play store or app store.
1. After you’ve run the app, allow it to access your device’s location, as prompted
2. You’ll get an OTP, enter it and fill in the details, as asked
3. Give the appropriate answer about questions related to your foreign travel history
4. With the ICMR database, it will match your travel history with that of those who’ve tested positive
5. The app then starts an assessments test

How to take the self-assessment test?

– Gender and age
– Symptom checklist for cough, fever or difficulty in breathing
– Symptom checker for whether you have had diabetes or heart disease
– A question on overseas travel over the last 14 days
– Questions on whether the user had recent interactions with people infected with COVID-19

The mechanics of the app

– Using Bluetooth, algorithms and AI the app calculates the user’s interaction with others
– The app detects other nearby Smartphone devices that also have the app installed
– It will then calculate the risk of infections based on sophisticated parameters if any of these contacts are tested positive

Safety Measures provided on the app

– How to maintain Social Distancing
– COVID-19 Do’s & Don’t’s
– Safety measures against COVID-19
– Information related to COVID-19
– Take the Self Assessment Test
– Check app regularly for updates

Methods other countries Using to fight COVID-19

– Location Tracking – Israel, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Germany, Italy are using location data to track infected people.

– Mobile Apps – UK, South Korea, and China are using apps to help people avoid COVID Patient

– CCTV – South Korea, Singapore used CCTVs extensively in contact-tracing.

– Smart Imaging- China is using AI-powered thermal cameras to identify those in a crowd who have a fever.

– Robots and Drones – China, Singapore have opened robots manning.