Coronavirus: Check Aarogya Setu App before you start for office, Centre tells staff

The Union Government, on Wednesday, asked all its officers and staff to "immediately" download the 'Aarogya Setu' application that helps in identifying possibility of contracting COVID-19 and review their health status before setting off for office every day.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) sent an office memorandum saying the direction should be "strictly followed" to improve the safety of all government officials.

The officials must review their health status on the App before starting for office and commute only when the App shows 'safe' or 'low risk' status.

"The officers/ staff are advised that in case the App shows a message that he/ she has a 'moderate' or 'high risk' calculated on the basis of Bluetooth proximity (recent contact with infected person), he/ she should not come to office and self-isolate for 14 days or till the status becomes 'safe' or 'low risk'," it said.

It said the Joint Secretary (Administration) should ensure that these directions are strictly followed in ministries and departments. Also, similar directions should also be given to autonomous and statutory bodies and public sector units working under respective ministries in this regard, it said.

According to the government, the mobile App is aimed to at connecting health services and the people in the combined fight against COVID-19. The App, currently available in 11 different languages, will augment the GoI’s initiatives in proactively reaching out to and informing the users about the potential risk of infection, best practices and relevant medical advisories pertaining to the containment of the pandemic.

The App helps a user stay informed whether he or she has crossed paths with someone who has tested positive. This is done through Bluetooth and location-generated social graph.

It will also alert a user when someone who came in close proximity tests positive.

As on April 24, the Ministry of Information Technology and Electronics said, around 7.5 crore people have downloaded the App.