The Indian government is reportedly working on a smartphone app to keep the spread of coronavirus under check. The app is called CoWin-20 and is currently in beta testing before launching for both iOS and Android devices.
According to a report by Network18, the CoWin-20 app will rely on smartphone location services to track people and stop the spread of coronavirus. The app will also reportedly record the user’s travel history to determine if they’re at risk of catching the virus as well as the people they might have come in contact with.
The app will also highlight coronavirus testing centres nearby and quarantine sites. You can get the latest advisories, guidelines and information about the Covid-19 outbreak. Users will also be alerted on the latest updates via the Indian government.
The inspiration behind using an app to track potential patients infected with the virus might have come from a similar app being in Singapore where the government is also relying on high-tech surveillance to keep the coronavirus spread under check. Apart from also locating patients who tested positive on a map, it also alerts nearby people who may come in contact with the patient by using Bluetooth.
The report claims the app will be launched in the next few days. The APK of the app is reportedly being distributed to a select few people. iOS users can also download the app by sharing their devices UDIDs with the National Informatics Center.
Recently, the Indian Government also launched a “MyGov Corona” help desk on WhatsApp which is basically a chatbot that will help you out with potential symptoms, guidelines and advisories on WhatsApp itself.