COVID-19 and Health Care’s Digital Technology Revolution

Abstract

COVID-19’s affliction has spared none regardless of country, economy, rich or poor, child or old age, salaried or entrepreneur, celebrity or common man, actor or politician, Policeman or thief, Teacher or student, Doctor or Patient. With the nature of high transmissibility and absence of effective vaccine, COVID-19 is now a global pandemic. In the twenty first century, the world has witnessed the most dreadful virus in the form of newly discovered virus called as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, (SARS-CoV-2) which causes a respiratory illness disease called as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This COVID-19 has brought the healthcare industry in the complete spotlight probably for the first time in the history of mankind. Physical distancing, Environmental hygiene, isolation and quarantine, personal hygiene has become household terms due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The novel coronavirus has posed an unparalleled experience and challenging future by impacting more and more people around the world. Globally, from small clinics to large hospital chains are struggling to manage the COVID-19 patient population and non-COVID persons are restricted to stay in their homes. Undoubtedly, COVID-19 has impacted various sectors of the global economy including the healthcare industry. Undeniably, COVID-19 has created the necessity for the establishment of collaborative, robust digital healthcare systems with improved efficiency and this can be achieved with the help of latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Block chain, Robots, Machine learning, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Cloud Computing, telemedicine to secure medical data and to provide efficient, scalable healthcare solutions during uncertain times like COVID-19 Pandemic. This research paper discusses different digital technological applications adopted by healthcare tech companies with respect to COVID-19 pandemic management and response for pandemic surveillance, testing, contact tracing and effective healthcare delivery.