Aarogya Setu: Digital response to COVID-19

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With more than 170 million downloads so far, Aarogya Setu App has become the most successful digital response, aiding social distancing in the fight against this pandemic.

People need to stay updated regarding containment zones, virus hot spots, and any other co-related information, Aarogya Setu app is one such initiative of the Central government to ensure the safety and protection of its citizens from this life-threatening virus.

As the cases of Covid-19 are surging again in some states, the trend has alarmed public health officials and prompted renewed pleas for masks and social distancing.

The Aarogya Setu App, essentially is a contact-tracing app, developed and promoted to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Users of the app can be identified if they have symptoms of COVID-19 and their location can be tracked. The app is mandatory in containment zones and for all public and private entity employees.

The World Health Organization has also lauded the Aarogya Setu mobile application for its success in helping health departments to identify COVID-19 affected people and zones vulnerable to the disease.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized the use and significance of the App and on several occasions has urged people to download the Aarogya Setu mobile app to help prevent the spread of corona infection. He has appealed to inspire others to download the app as well, This app has emerged to be the world’s most downloaded COVID-19 tracing app.

What is Aarogya Setu App?

Aarogya Setu App is developed by the National Informatics Centre which is a part of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It is a Bluetooth-based COVID-19 tracker.

The aim of the App is to augment the initiatives in proactively reaching out and informing the users of the app regarding the risks, best practices, and relevant advisories pertaining to the containment of COVID-19.

Benefits of using Aarogya Setu App

• Aarogya Setu App is available on both platforms- Android and iOS. The app is available in 11 languages – English, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Punjabi, Bengali, Oriya, Gujarati, and Marathi. The app is expected to be available in more Indian languages soon.

• Keep You Safe- If a person makes a first or a second-degree contact with a COVID-19 positive person, Aarogya Setu alerts you and gets you timely medical help. The self-assessment test also helps you in identifying possibilities of infection.

• The app helps the Government to identify hotspots, hence aiding in curbing the spread of the infection. The more people use it, the more effective the app will be in chaining the pandemic.

• The app can notify a user of any hotspot or ‘high-risk’ areas near his or her residence through contact tracing. It can assist a person to adopt appropriate measures to avoid infection.

This pandemic has triggered an unprecedented demand for digital health technology solutions. It has also revealed successful solutions such as population screening, tracking the infection, prioritizing the use & allocation of resources, and designing targeted responses.

This digital system may reduce hassle, helping the country return to its pre-lockdown state of affairs. The citizens must continue to take precautions even if the restrictions are lifted, as it’s well-said, precaution is better than cure.