Coronavirus: Aarogya Setu app now mandatory for all central govt employees
Before starting for office, they must review their status on Aarogya Setu app and commute only when it shows 'safe' or 'low risk' status.
All central government employees have been asked to immediately download the 'Aarogya Setu' mobile application and to come to office when the application shows "safe" status for commuting, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry said.
"Before starting for office, they must review their status on 'Aarogya Setu' and commute only when the app shows 'safe' or 'low risk' status," it said.
The officers and staff are advised that in case the app shows a message that they have a 'moderate' or 'high risk' calculated on the basis of Bluetooth proximity ("recent contact with infected person"), they should not come to office and self isolate for 14 days or until the status becomes 'safe' or 'low risk', the Personnel Ministry said.
In a communication issued to all departments, it said all the officers, staff (including outsourced staff) working in central government should download 'Aarogya Setu' application on their mobile phones, immediately.
The Aarogya Setu application developed by the government helps people to assess themselves on the risk of their catching the coronavirus infection.
A senior officer – Joint Secretary (administration) – in all the departments would ensure strict compliance of the instructions, the order said.
"Ministries/departments may issue similar instructions to all autonomous, statutory bodies, PSUs etc attached to them," it added.
Officers of the level of deputy secretary and above have already joined the offices following the government's instructions.
All central government departments have been asked to call only one-third of the staff below deputy secretary level on rotation basis to the offices.
Gurugram-based foodtech unicorn Zomato has also mandated that each of its delivery partners install and use the Aarogya Setu app.
A statement shared by Zomato added that the idea is to keep individuals and authorities informed if the delivery partners have crossed paths with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.
"We are also going to showcase that our delivery partners are using the Aarogya Setu app on the Zomato app so that our users feel confident in getting their essentials home delivered, and not step out. This is the first time we have mandated our delivery partners to do anything special. For what it's worth, we have never even mandated our delivery partners to wear the ubiquitous red t-shirt," said Deepinder Goyal, Co-founder and CEO, Zomato in an official blog.
Home services startup Urban Company too asked its frontline employees to install and use the Aarogya Setu App.
(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)
Edited by Saheli Sen Gupta
