India has launched a range of mobile apps in its fight against Covid-19. Some of the key ones are as follows:
- The central government has launched AarogyaSetu. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has provided the following details about the app:
'It 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.
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 timely steps for assessing risk of spread of COVID-19 infection, and ensuring isolation where required. 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.
Available in 11 languages, the app is ready for pan-India use from day-1 and has highly scalable architecture. 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.'
- The state of Maharashtra has an app called Mahakavach which allows citizens to submit their quarantine status digitally and helps in tracking and tracing patients and their quarantine status.
- There are two apps from various departments of the government of Karnataka called Corona Watch and Quarantine Watch which allow for the tracking of those placed in home quarantine, and assists in tracking the movement history of patients.
- Covid-19 Quarantine Watch Tamil Nadu has similar features and also helps track the live locations of those kept under home quarantine.
- Coronavirus Alert (COVA) of the government of the state of Punjab also helps tracking patients and also has details of healthcare centres and FAQs about the virus.
