“I am using the app, but looks like it doesn’t work. We have two positive cases next door just six feet away, with only a boundary wall in between, but the app doesn’t show that or caution us.” Said Kapil to The Fauxy.
Arogya Setu is an Indian COVID–19 “contact tracing, syndromic mapping and self-assessment” digital service, primarily a mobile app, owned by the govt. While the govt has mandated the app in people’s phone but the app doesn’t help much as it shows even covid positive people safe.
After witnessing heavily backlash, the government has clarified that it’s not a glitch but app deliberately shows people safe to keep the morale high. Speaking to The Fauxy, a government officer said working with Arogya Setu said “In second wave a large number of people got infected and many of them were critical and in such case if they see themselves safe in arogya Setu app it boosts their morale”.
Sources suggest that government is also thinking of sending motivational quotes as push notification to users to keep their morale high.
