Coronavirus: Kerala Has Deployed Robots To Spread Covid-19 Awareness & Distribute Sanitisers

With a total of 17 confirmed cases so far, Kerala has the most number of coronavirus patients in the country. With nearly a hundred suspected cases and over a thousand others under observation, the state has a tough task ahead to contain the outbreak.

But Kerala is taking its fight against the Covid-19 outbreak with all seriousness and has left no stones unturned. The latest initiative is a pair of computer-programmed machines developed by Asimov Robotics which is a startup incubated at the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM).

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While one distributes masks, sanitiser, and napkins in a bid to check COVID-19 the other screens detail about the World Health Organisations campaign to contain the disease.

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Asimov CEO Jayakrishnan T said a general public apathy towards preventive measures against coronavirus has prompted the solutions-provider company to go for such a drive.

The use of robots in the campaign has invited public attention, also considering the propensity of coronavirus to spread through human contact. KSUM Chief Executive Officer Saji Gopinath said the institution was mulling over installing such robots in public places such as airports.

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On Thursday the Kerala Government also launched a mobile app in partnership with the Kerala Startup Mission for spreading awareness on Coronavirus outbreak. "The aim of the app is to give out the correct information and it can be downloaded from the play store. This has been launched as there were various rumours regarding coronavirus. The government wants to give correct information to the people, ' Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

The GoK Direct has the latest news about Covid-19, government notices, helpline numbers and other details including quarantine protocol, advice to visitors and awareness to travelers, etc. The app can even send text message alerts to phones without the internet.

Earlier Kerala was the first state to announces a 'partial shut down' in the state to contain the outbreak. According to the state government's announcement, there will be restrictions on gatherings and public programmes by the government until the end of this month. Additionally, classes for all students including state syllabus, CBSE and ICSE up to class 7 have been suspended, and only exams can go ahead as per schedule, all colleges, except medical colleges, will also remain shut. The same is applicable for tuition classes, and exam coaching classes.

Madrassa and anganwadis will also remain closed during the same period. However, the government said that the mid-day meals for Anganwadi students will be made available at their homes. Another step the Kerala government has taken in view of the restrictions is to improve the broadband networks in the state.

"Since a lot, more people will be at homes, under isolation or will be working from home, the internet usage will be high. Keeping this in mind we will improve the bandwidth and quality of broadband internet in the state," Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.