BackCovid-19: Govt expands Aarogya Setu app to all feature phones
Citizens will be able to give a missed call to the central helpline number 1921 and get back a voice call to give inputs on their health Till now, the app could only be downloaded in smartphones, which are used by 450-500 million in India
PremiumThe health ministry on Wednesday said the government has expanded the Aarogya setu app, the contact-tracing mobile application launched to contain the spread of coronavirus, to all feature phones.
"For including the citizens with feature phones and landline under the protection of Aarogya Setu, the Aarogya Setu Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS)" has been implemented. This service is available across the country," an official statement said.
Citizens will be able to give a missed call to the central helpline number 1921. They will then be called back and will be requested for inputs on their health.
"The questions asked are aligned with Aarogya Setu App, and based on the responses given, citizens will also get an SMS indicating their health status and also will get further alerts for their health moving forward," it said.
Till now, the app could only be downloaded in smartphones, which are used by 450-500 million in India. The use of IVRS will enable more people to use the contact-tracing app.
Aarogya Setu informs users of potential risk of infection through geo-location and Bluetooth technologies. It was launched by the information technology ministry last month as a measure to prevent covid-19.
"It enables people to assess themselves the risk of them catching the coronavirus infection. It will calculate this based on their interaction with others, using cutting edge bluetooth technology, algorithms and artificial intelligence," an official statement said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urging citizens to use the Aarogya Setu app. In his meeting with all state chief ministers last month, Modi spoke about popularising the app and asked them to ensure downloads in greater numbers. The home ministry has also made the use of app mandatory at workplaces.
The app has recorded more than nine crore downloads since its launch on April 2. Aarogya Setu has already set a record by becoming the fastest to have ever reached a five-crore install base.
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