Lockdown 4.0: Aarogya Setu app must for employees, work from home should be encouraged

MHA directed the employers to ensure that those working from home have Aarogya Setu app installed on their mobile phones. It further said that regular updates about the health of an individual could enable the government in dispensing adequate medical care at the earliest and control the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

New Delhi: Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday said that employers should ensure the Aarogya Setu app is installed on the phones of all employees while advising that "as far as possible the practice of work from home should be followed."

"With a view to ensuring safety in offices and workplaces, employers on the best effort basis should ensure that the application is installed by all employees having compatible mobile phones," said the MHA in its guidelines.

"Aarogya Setu mobile application is a powerful tool built by the Government of India to facilitate quick identification of persons infected by COVID-19, or at risk of being infected, thus acting as a shield for individuals and the community," added MHA.

The MHA has asked district authorities to advise individuals to install the Aarogya Setu application on compatible mobile phones and regularly update their health status on the app to facilitate timely provision of medical attention to those individuals, who are at risk.

The app launched in April in public-private partnership enables people to themselves assess the risk for their catching the coronavirus infection. The app makes its calculations based on a person's interaction with others, using Bluetooth technology, algorithms and artificial intelligence.

"As far as possible the practice of work from home should be followed. Staggering of work business hours shall be followed in the offices, workplaces, shops, markets and industrial and commercial establishments," said the MHA in its guidelines.

The MHA has asked employers to ensure to frequently sanitise and have the provision of thermal screening, hand wash, etc.

"All persons in-charge of workplaces shall ensure social distancing through the adequate distance between workers, adequate gaps between shifts, staggering the lunch breaks of staff, etc," added the MHA.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued the order to continue coronavirus-induced lockdown measures till May 31. (ANI)