Indian government launches a COVID-19 tracking app
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has launched a new "Kavach" app. It assigns a color code indicating your health status, based on COVID-19 symptoms. According to the official description, the app uses "community-driven tracking to keep you safe from infected and quarantined users." Here are more details.
First, the app performs a screening test
To begin with, the app provides a questionnaire to determine if you have any symptoms associated with COVID-19; if you have traveled abroad or met someone from a foreign country. Essentially, the app screens your health status by understanding your symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, dry cough or sore throat, body aches, body temperature, and so on.
You then get a health code based on your responses
Based on your responses to the questionnaire, the app gives you a health status in the form of a color code. A green code means everything is fine, while orange means you should see a doctor as you may be at risk. If you get a yellow color code, you should quarantine yourself and code red means you are perhaps infected.
Activate "Kavach" to let others know of your health status
When you step out of the house, you can activate the "Kavach" feature to receive alerts in case you come in the vicinity of an infected or quarantined person. Upon activating "Kavach", the app will start tracking your location for an hour and alert you as soon you are close to someone who has a red or yellow health status.
Here's how you can get started with the app
The Corona Kavach app, currently in the beta stage, is available only for Android users as of now. To get started, you need to download the app from the Google Play Store and log in using your phone number. From the homepage, you can get information related to COVID-19, perform a screening test for yourself, and activate "Kavach".
The app has disappeared from the Play Store
However, as of 12:40 am on March 29, the app has abruptly disappeared from the Play Store. The reason behind the same remains unclear.
