Covid SafeQ

Covid SafeQ

Covid-SafeQ is an application by which the users can virtually stand in a queue of the shop they desire to go to. The users can see a map and all the essential shops in their locality as people are not even allowed to leave their locality. After selecting a shop they desire to visit they are given a virtual ticket and the time when their number will come and can visit the shop safely without standing in the queue for hours. After their visit the waiting time of other customers virtually standing in the queue is automatically reduced.

Problem

Social distancing is a pivotal way to flatten the curve of COVID-19 but is extremely challenging for a densely populated country like India. The culture of online purchase is gradually increasing, but a large number of citizens still have to leave their homes in this time of crisis for buying essentials like food and medicines. People often encounter long queues for stores and have to wait for prolonged periods of time, which is unhygienic, increases possibilities of viral infection and wastes time. Similar are the issues at banks, postal offices, etc. and the limited operating hours as well as the reduced staff is resulting into an increased crowd at these places.

Also, while the government is planning strategies to lift the lockdown gradually and permit more stores and businesses to open wherever possible, the major challenge lies in ensuring maintenance of physical distances between the people visiting the stores. Keeping the economy alive is crucial as there is a link between GDP and life expectancy. But, if strict social distancing rules are not enforced, people shall be reluctant to visit stores, even post lockdown. In fact, as per the disease experts, social distancing may need to be adhered until 2022.

Thus, a mobile application ‘COVID-SafeQ’ is proposed for use by service providers like stores, banks, etc. as well as the citizens to ensure social distancing while providing and availing essential services.

Solution

The application allows customers to virtually join a queue to a store/bank and receive the predicted time of their turn through an AI-based queue-time prediction mechanism.

It also allows booking slots for availing services on same or next day, based on availability.

Customers can also see if a store/bank is practising social distancing as well as visualize the low and peak hours. The e-tickets received through the application may also be used by customers as a proof of essential travel.

Functionalities

• Categories of Users:
  • Citizens
  • Service Providers like Stores, Banks, etc.
• Automated tasks by the System:
  • Validate users
  • Real-time scheduling of timeframes based on the maximum capacity of service provider adhering to social distancing norms and requests from customers.
  • Display compliance/non-compliance of social distancing based on tentative number of people in the store/bank (e-ticket validations)
  • Analyze data that show trends of low and peak hours
• To-do for Service Providers:
  • Register into the App with basic details
  • Set ratio of scheduled and impromptu customers
  • Validate the e-tickets of customers and mark completion of transactions once done
• To-do for Citizens:
  • Register into the app with Aadhar card
  • Check nearby stores / banks based on location
  • Select category of cart / type of service - small, medium, big
  • Virtually join a queue / book a slot (day and time) for visit and receive an e-ticket with a PIN code
  • Match the e-ticket with the security personnel / service provider to get prioritized access to the store / bank without waiting in queues

Try It Out 🔥

Try it out yourself at 🌐 covid-safeq.now.sh

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