New updates for Aarogya Setu (Express photo: Sneha Saha)A few months after the coronavirus outbreak the government of India together with Niti Ayog developed a contact tracing app called Aarogya Setu. India is one of the few countries that has developed its own contact tracing application to contain the spread of Covid-19 virus. The app is available on Google Play store, Apple App store as well as KaiOS. The app can also be used by feature phone and landline users.
As per the latest data, the app has been downloaded by 15 crore people in the country.
Ever since it was released, Aarogya Setu faced tremendous backlash for storing users’ personal data. Developers, however, time and again have denied the claims and said that Aarogya Setu is safe to use and doesn’t share data with anyone. The app just uses bluetooth and location data to identify and inform users when they come in close contact with a Covid-19 positive person.
If your status shows green it means you’re safe, if it’s red you are Covid-19 positive, if it’s yellow it indicates you are at moderate risk, and finally, if it shows orange you are at high risk of infection.
Aarogya Setu app is being updated with new features every other day to smoothen the user experience. Let’s take a look at some of the latest updates that have been added to the app.
– The latest one is the See Recent Contacts option. This feature on Aarogya Setu lets users know their bluetooth contacts and allows them to assess their risk level. To get the feature users must update the app by heading over to their respective app stores. “This will enable you to assess your risk. Some BT contacts can be for short durations during travel, some can be when you have Masks on without any physical contact. Always important to take necessary precautions and monitor your symptoms,” Arrogya Setu tweeted. The update is available on the Google Play store. Coming to app store soon.
– Aarogya Setu was initially available on Google Play store and Apple App store. The app has now been released on KaiOS for JioPhone users. The process of using the application is the same as usual.
– The source code of the Aarogya Setu app’s Android and iOS versions is now available in the public domain for developers to check out the app. The developers have announced a bug bounty program and asked the developers across the country to find bugs in the app and submit them. Any developer capable of doing that will get price money.
– A couple of months ago Aarogya Setu IVRS system was released for feature phone and landline users. To use the facility users will need to give a missed call to 1921 number.
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