Indian government officially launches its coronavirus tracking app Name Aarogya Setu App
The central government seems to be leaving no stone unturned in the fight against coronavirus. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has come up with the COVID-19 tracking app Aarogya Setu. The app is available for Android as well as iOS users.
Last week, we reported about India building a coronavirus tracker based on your mobile location. Now, the government has officially launched the app with the name of Aarogya Setu (which translates from Sanskrit to ‘A bridge of health’).
The core function of the app remains the same as the beta version: using your phone’s location data and Bluetooth to assess if you’ve been near a person who was infected by COVID-19, by looking through a database of known cases.
The app specifies that all your data is on the device in an encrypted form. Looking at the code, it sends your data to the server in an anonymized form to check if you’re near an infected person. To do that, the app will rely on Bluetooth to check if you’ve been within six feet of an infected person.
National Informatics Centre that comes under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has developed the Aarogya Setu app.
The app is aimed at informing citizens about “best practices and relevant advisories pertaining to the containment of COVID-19”.
The app primarily helps users identify if they are at risk of coronavirus infection by asking if they have even by mistake come in contact with a COVID-19 infected person.
Users can access information in 11 languages while using the app. To use Aarogya Setu app, you will have to provide your location, Bluetooth, and data sharing permission.
How to download Aarogya Setu app
- Go to play store or app store.
- Search for Aarogya Setu app.
- Click on the install option and the app will download.
How to use Aarogya Setu app
- Open the app.
- Select the language of your choice
- Go through certain number of screens informing about the app.
- Provide the required permission and always keep your Bluetooth on while using this app.
- Click on I Agree.
- Then, you will have to provide your 10-digit mobile number, on which an OTP will be sent.
- Fill in the required details and click on the submit option.
Where to download the Aarogya Setu app?
Do note that there are many third-party applications on the Play Store with the term “Aarogya” or “Arogya” in them. Download only the official Android version of the app, and the iOS version is available as well. Apart from the Aarogya Setu app, the government has an official portal, MyGov.in, that also has updated essential information related to the virus.
After completing the aforementioned process, you can get information on whether you are at risk, where health centres are, self-assessment test and many more.