Free COVID-19 awareness app for India

Aarogya Setu is a free health and fitness mobile app that enables you to avail of health services in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Developed by NIC eGov Mobile Apps and the Government of India, Aarogya Setu is designed to inform you of important advisories regarding the virus. You can find health tips on how to avoid catching it and what to do if you are starting to show symptoms.

Designed for the people

This app is similar to how other health apps for the COVID-19 crisis function. You can access guides on how to deal with the virus, such as disinfection methods, general rules to follow, and more factual information. People living in India are recommended to download and use the app so the government can easily collect the necessary data on the population and help in keeping your informed for your safety. 

Another feature is the location-tracking system that can alert you if anyone with the virus is nearby. First, you have to do the self-assessment test. The app will ask questions about your health and will show only your status on the map. No other data will be shared, as this is only meant to let others know if their area is still or if they have to take precautions while outside. 

The app also provides COVID-19 help center numbers for you to contact. However, there are still some flaws in the design. It uses Bluetooth for its location tracker and this can create privacy issues for your device. It also doesn’t have a live counter for the number of infected in an area, which can be of help to those who can’t enable the location tracker at the moment.

Needs more fine-tuning

All in all, Aarogya Setu is a good app to have since the Indian government itself is maintaining it to easily stay in contact with the local people. However, there are still a lot to add and polish before it can become an app everyone can depend on. Nevertheless, it’s free to use and gives out helpful data for anyone who wants to be up-to-date with the current events.