#Coronavirus: This App Made By Govt Will Inform If You Can Be Infected; This Is How It Works

With the escalating confirmed cases of COVID-19 approaching 1000, an app has been released by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in association with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW).

The location-based COVID-19-tracking app comes with the name ‘Corona Kavach’. 

Read to find out more…

What is the Fuss About?

The app geo-traces users’ location and lets them know if they’ve come in contact with a coronavirus-infected person. Currently in its beta stage, the app is still a work in progress and not available on Google play store as of now.

MeitY says, “This app is being developed in public interest to give information and capture the outbreak of coronavirus. The data will be used to conduct analysis and provide information about the active COVID-19 cases in India.”

The government believes that this app will help it track the status of the community spread of COVID-19, and keep citizens away from infected users. It also stated, “Your location data stays offline and is shared only when there is a potential health risk.”

For the app to function efficiently, it will require an extraordinary amount of cooperation from the public. The plan of action seems a bit over ambitious as it wi enough people will install this app, and will voluntarily inform the government about their infected status, and also remember to turn it on whenever they go out in public.The location tracking via GPS might not be accurate enough to do this effectively.

Will the Indian crowd contribute like a responsible citizen for this app to run smoothly?

Is this initiative a bit over-ambitious?

More Information and Features of Corona Kavach!

The app asks for location access, after which you have to create an account through a mobile number verification. The app sends an OTP on the entered mobile number after which you get access to the app.

It tracks a user’s location in one-hour intervals and alerts them if they have come in contact with a person who has tested positive for Covid-19.

The six question survey by the app categorizes users into code green, orange, yellow and red for infected. The six questions include-

1. Tracks your breathing capacity, 
2. Asks for Body temperature, Sore Throat, Dry Cough, Body ache- the symptoms of Covid-19 virus
3. Inquires about your Travel History
4. Inquires if you have met any Foreigh National

How Does the Colour Coding Work?

Code Green- All Fine

Colour Orange- Go See a Doctor

Colour Yellow- Quarantine

Colour Red- Infected

After the survey, whenever you go out of the house, you can press a button to activate the “Kavach”, tracking your movements for an hour. If someone else has the app, and has marked themselves as infected or quarantined, and you come into the same vicinity, the app will give you an alert.