Centre asks staff to check safety from Aarogya Setu app before coming to office

All central government employees were on Wednesday asked to immediately download the ‘Aarogya Setu’ mobile application and to come to the 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 he/she has a ‘moderate’ or ‘high risk’ calculated on the basis of Bluetooth proximity (“recent contact with infected person”), he/she should not come to office and self isolate for 14 days or till the status becomes ‘safe’ or ‘low risk’, the Personnel Ministry said.

In a communiqu 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 the deputy secretary level on a rotation basis to the offices.