COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, is making people all over the world go helter-skelter and clueless. As per the recent update, the COVID-19 pandemic has now spread to more than 160 countries, infecting more than 2 million people with a death toll of 130,000. The economy of many countries is on the verge of collapse. However, compared to any of the previous outbreaks, the world is better prepared to address this global crisis. There is technology readily available that can be leveraged to minimize losses and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The rapid spread of Covid-19 has forced countries to use every trick in the book to contain the disease. Technology solutions aimed at combating the COVID-19 outbreak are being developed and implemented rapidly around the world. Governments, Venture Capitalists, Academic Institutions, Incubators, Startups, and businesses large and small are all doing their part to deploy new innovative solutions as quickly as possible.
Here is a snapshot of some of the technologies being deployed in different countries.
- Using AI, Data Analytics and Digital Communication for Accurate Public Information:
Taiwan has used AI, data analytics and frequent digital communication to curb the spread of COVID-19, track the symptomatic patients and provide citizens with real-time information on how they can minimize the risk of contracting COVID-19.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare, politicians, are using their official social media accounts on Facebook, Youtube, etc to keep the public well-informed on everything from the number of available masks to the updated policy.
Fact-checking institutions and groups like Taiwan FactCheck Center and MyGoPen, have made an effort to fact-check and correct misinformation on the epidemic, which mostly circulates online. The government also used AI to create real-time digital updates alerting citizens to avoid locations where infections had been detected.
By using digital channels for communicating transparent and accurate information to the public, working together with technology businesses and civic society, and utilising data-driven solutions, Taiwan has managed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
- Location-Tracking for Self-Isolation:
One of the most commonly used technology by the governments, which has been crucial in identifying where an infected person has travelled before being quarantined and how many people were in close proximity to the patient has been location-tracking feature of their mobile phones.
South Korea, China, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan combined technology with human efforts as a quarantine compliance mechanism. Taiwan rolled out a geo-fence, or “electronic fence”, which uses mobile phone location-tracking to ensure people who are quarantined stay in their homes. Israel has allowed its internal security agency the use of its citizens location data for 30 days.
However, in Europe, which has strict data protection laws, Germany and Italy are using anonymized location data to identify public spaces where people are gathering in groups by defying lockdowns.
- Mobile Application for Symptom Tracking:
A startup in the UK recently launched an app for people to self-report their symptoms. The app was named C-19 Covid Symptom Tracker, was downloaded 750 thousand times in three days, helps identify high-risk areas, among other things.
China launched an app developed by Alibaba and Tencent which give people a color code based on their health condition and travel history. This code is decided by a big data-driven algorithm, will determine whether a person gains entry into a mall or a subway station, or can travel between cities.
India launched Aarogya Setu app which tracks Covid-19 cases around and helps in fighting the virus on an individual level. It has been downloaded 50 million times just 13 days, making it the world’s fastest downloaded app. The app works on location data obtained from the infected person’s smartphone. It will also use short-distance Bluetooth signals between phones, like Singapore’s TraceTogether app, which helps authorities trace contacts of a patient.
South Korea has an app called Corona 100m that has mapped the locations of Covid-19 patients and alerts users if they come within 100 meters of an infected person.
- Use of Technology to Detect & Control Shortages of Critical Supplies
Singapore looked at Data-driven insights and technologies to ensure availability of critical supplies. During the early stages of the epidemic, Singapore made sure the availability of masks and other critical suppliers are in adequate quantity. The government worked quickly with local technology research institutes and the smart automation sectors to increase the production and meet the needs of the domestic market.
Taiwan’s example of solving the issue of “panic buying” with IT technology is an example for the governments around the world, which are struggling to solve the demand and supply of critical items. To avoid shortages, officials used Data Analytics to estimate the region’s supply of masks, negative pressure isolation rooms, and other health provisions.
- Usage of Smart Imaging, Robots & Drones
For rapid and contactless detection, China is using AI-powered thermal cameras to identify those in a crowd who have a fever. China also deployed facial-recognition systems to identify those not wearing masks in public places.
Hospitals in US, Singapore and China have started using robots that take patients’ temperature, give them food and drugs, and disinfect the wards. The use of robots’ spares healthcare workers from the risk of contracting the virus.
Many countries are using drones for spraying disinfectant all over locked down areas. In some countries, police are using drones fitted with cameras and loudspeakers to disperse crowds and direct individuals in the streets to return home.
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