Tech and COVID-19. What is Arogya Setu App?

BLOG DATED: 9th April, 2020. Tech and COVID-19.

Coronavirus is spreading very rapidly, not only in India, but all over the world. There is a complete lock down in many countries due to COVID-19 Pandemic. It is declared as a pestilence disease by WHO. Our Government is trying its best to control the spread of this fatal virus. The tech industry has also geared up to provide all the help across the world in all possible ways, to fight against Coronavirus. So let’s put some light on how tech is helping in such a pandemic!

Detection of COVID-19

Patients infected by Corona virus do possess some symptoms, which also includes the rise of body temperature above normal which we also call fever. COVID-19 pandemic has created a havoc around the globe and to stop the spread, Government started early testing at various traveling hotspots majorly airport. So ever wondered how testing was done? Do you think security and healthcare workers carry a Mercury thermometer to check if a person is suffering from fever or not? It would have never been possible to test people at airport if technology wasn’t there. It was made possible by thermal scanners, which uses the technology of Thermography, to detect the body temperature without making any physical contact with the persons. Along with thermal scanning, many machines are also developed for detection of corona virus in a person.

Thermal Screening

The large size thermal scanners came into a huge demand, instantly, after the rise of Corona virus in country. These were placed at public places like Airports, Railway Stations, Metro Stations and very other places. These machines uses a thermographic camera which scans the long infrared radiations (since radiations are omitted by the bodies above absolute zero temperatures), and with the help of these radiations, a thermal image is made which is also named, Thermogram, Which can give information about the body temperature by colors.

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The thermal scanning machines can be very big which can be placed in public areas and do not needed to move from its place and also can be very handy, which you can even carry in your bag. This tech helped in detection of COVID-19 not only in India, But all over the world.

PCR Based Tests

PCR, or Polymerase Chain Reaction based tests uses samples taken from nose and throat to scan the evidence of any Coronavirus RNA in them. On 28 Jan 2020, Kogenebiotech, a South Korea based company, invented a machine kit called PowerChek Coronavirus. Decision Diagnostics Corp or DECN also invented a corona-virus testing machine, named GenViro, Which do have a screen as well. Thus, tech is helping us to check coronavirus infection in a person.

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Medical Imaging

Coronavirus, if goes very old and not treated. It infects the lungs of a person and gets multiplied there. in order to detect the same, Radiographic tests can be done. Chest CT Scan or Computed Tomography can be done in the same case. The machines provide a image of internal parts to check whether the coronavirus is present in the body and getting multiplied.

Tracking of COVID-19

The best example of this is Arogya Setu app, Recently launched by National informatics center or NIC, in collaboration with Health Department, to aware the citizens and to measure the risk of being infected by corona virus. It uses your location information and Bluetooth proximity to check whether any covid-19 suspect is around you according to the Government Database.

The Arogya Setu app also have a Self Assessment test. AI based bot makes a conversation with you. It will ask you about your symptoms, and will tell you about your possibilities of getting infected by corona virus.

You must download the Arogya Setu app now, if not yet downloaded.

• Download from Google Play Store, or Apple App Store.

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Besides this, the Government is at its best to stop the spread of COVID-19.

What Kerala is Doing?

There is a sharp rise in the number of patients from there. To prevent the worst scenario, a team of 100+ coders, Software developers, data analysts along with medical staff like senior doctors are on their way to develop a whole system which will link public to the number of beds available, Ventilators, Corona test centers, Essentials delivery management, Emergency Ambulance and much more so that people there can get a complete assessment of everything related to Corona.

The Ventilators

COVID-19 leads to damage the lungs of the Patients, sometimes. They can’t breathe due to the same. Ventilators are life saving technology, at that time. Ventilators are the machines which provide breathable air to human lungs and helps of release the air out of the lungs as well by providing mechanical ventilation, with the help of a mask on the suffering person’s face. Modern Ventilators even have AI can can perform much intelligently, they have a microprocessor[?] inside them.

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With the rise of Corona virus, the demand and need of ventilators increased very sharply all over the country. According to a article on BBC, India have 48,000 Ventilators on an estimate. Which are very less as compared to the population of the country. Therefore, Tech Industry is at full to produce more and more ventilators.

Drones and Robots

The major aspect of technology, the drones and robots are performing well in the fight against COVID-19. For surveillance, Police is making use of Drones. It is to ensure no one is breaking the lockdown rules. Robots are helping the people in isolation, by delivering medicines and food to them. This tech is not majorly active in India, but is active in many other countries. It ensures that minimum persons came in contact with the existing suffering patients.

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Your Duties

Being a citizen of country, Your duty is to follow the Prime Minster’s Protocols and Stay at home. Stay in Quarantine. Be thankful to those who are away from homes just for us i.e. Police, Healthcare Workers etc. Be positive. Don’t Panic and the most important one, Do not spread fake news on Social Media.

• Take a look at Count of COVID-19 cases at worldometer, here.

• Keep a track on latest updates by Government at MoHFW Website.

Wishing you the best for your health. Be safe.

Refers to WHO Website – Digital Technology for COVID-19 Response.

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