India goes digital against Covid-19

A mobile app named AarogyaSetu has been developed in public-private partnership mode to bring the people of India together in a resolute fight against COVID-19.

New Delhi:Bolstering its fight against Covid 19 pandemic, India on Thursday has launched a mobile app named AarogyaSetu.

"The app will enable people to assess themselves the risk for their catching the Corona virus infection. It will calculate this based on their interaction with others, using cutting edge bluetooth technology, algorithms and artificial intelligence," said Neeta Verma, director general of National Information Centre (NIC).

She said that it was developed in public-private partnership mode to bring the people of India together in a resolute fight against COVID-19.

Initiated by NIC, the App joins Digital India for the health and well-being of every Indian.

Verma said that once installed in a smart phone through an easy and user-friendly process: "the app detects other devices with AarogyaSetu installed that come in the proximity of that phone. The app can then calculate the risk of infection based on sophisticated parameters if any of these contacts is tested positive."

The app will help the government take necessary and timely steps for assessing risk of spread of Covid-19 infection, and ensuring isolation where required.

Verma said that the app’s design ensures privacy-first.

"The personal data collected by the app is encrypted using state-of-the-art technology and stays secure on the phone till it is needed for facilitating medical intervention," she said.

The app is available in 11 languages.

"The App is ready for pan-India use from day-1 and has highly scalable architecture," she added.

She said that this app is a unique example of the nation’s young talent coming together and pooling resources and efforts to respond to a global crisis.

"It is at once a bridge between public and private sectors, digital technology and health services delivery and the potential of young India with a disease-free and healthy future of the nation," she added.