SMC COVID-19 Tracker app developed to track citizens with travel history

SMC has also started a helpline number 1-800-123-800 where a citizen can share details about travellers or suspects.

Surat Municipal Corporation has taken various IT initiatives to fight COVID-19. SMC has developed SMC COVID-19 Tracker System which includes a web portal and mobile application named “SMC COVID-19 Tracker” to track people who have abroad or interstate travel history and persons who have come in direct contact with positive COVID-19 individuals. Details of travellers and other individuals are collected through various sources like Self Declaration form on SMC website, calls received on helpline number, international traveller information received GoI etc. The brief about the functioning of the application is given below:

SMC has published Self Declaration Form on website www.suratmunicipal.gov.in where individuals can submit their details including their abroad or interstate travel history and if they have come in contact with any positive COVID-19 individual. Upon submission of details, an SMC is sent to individuals with unique Tracker ID and are asked to download SMC COVID-19 Tracker Mobile App.

SMC has also started a helpline number 1-800-123-800 where a citizen can share details about travellers or suspects. The details are verified by the SMC team including health officials. A field team visits the location and if the details provided on the helpline is verified, the individual is asked to stay in home quarantine, and they are also assigned unique Tracker ID and are asked to download SMC COVID-19 Tracker Mobile.

Individuals have to fill questionnaire twice a day (Morning 10 AM and Evening 9 AM) through SMC COVID-19 Tracker App regarding their health. Three questions are given in the questionnaire asking individuals if they have fever, cough or difficulty in breathing. With this questionnaire, an individual has to also send their Selfie (Photo). If any individual mentions issue in a questionnaire regarding their health, first follow up is done over the phone and if required, individuals are asked to visit the nearby health facility for necessary check-up and treatment.

After successful installation of the app, individuals have to send their location every hour to confirm that they are following home quarantine on a regular basis. SMC team monitors the location history of individuals if any individual is found not following the home quarantine guidelines, strict actions are taken against such individuals.

For every individual asked to stay in home quarantine, daily house to house follow-up is also done by SMC Team. Follow up done by SMC team is also captured through the system.

If any individual has developed symptoms during home quarantine and has been shifted to hospital, individuals who have come in contact of suspects are entered in the system under contact history so that they can be linked to understanding the contact tracing. If the person admitted to hospital is found positive, the contacts are asked to follow quarantine.

Necessary MIS reports are prepared in the system and new reports are being developed as per the requirements of the health department.

Necessary App Installation manuals for Android and iOS are also prepared along with YouTube videos to help citizen install the application easily. 

The SMC COVID-19 Tracking System along with Android and iOS App is developed in a very short time of 5 days. As of now, around 3800 individual details are entered in the system and more than 2800 persons are using Mobile App to send their locations every hour and are submitting their health checkup questionnaire twice a day.

The system developed by SMC was reviewed by the Government of Gujarat and Government of Gujarat is considering implementing the same for the entire state. 

(With Inputs from PIB)