Blockchain for Authenticating Coronavirus Tracking and Pandemic Related Information

The emergence and rapid escalation of novel coronavirus cases, has rendered a significant percentage of the world population homebound, due to government-initiated lockdowns across geographies in an attempt to prevent contagion.

People are adjusting to this new lifestyle of remote working and going on with their regular chores indoors as the corona affected cases rise every day, with a current mark at 790,232 total cases worldwide. The pandemic has till now claimed 38, 220 lives, and the number of recovered stands at 165, 720. (Source: Worldometer)

 

With limited activity due to the lockdown protocol, the world population is likely to spend a lot of time online trying to gather more information about the disease and its current status. With so much information coming in from so many sources, who is to judge which one is true and which false. 

 

In situations like this news travel fast, at lightning speed online through media outlets and social media platforms. Hence authenticity of the information is of utmost importance as in an already panic-induced environment, it doesn’t take much to turn the rational into gullible, and any fake information can only worsen the situation. 

 

In this write-up, we will explore how blockchain technology helps in authenticating the tracking of the disease and helps us trust the information related to its progress. 

 

Coronavirus Tracking and News: Who to Trust?

 

Living in the age of technology, it does not take a lot, for someone with access to the internet to gather information. We have information at our fingertips, but often we forget to judge the authenticity of what we see and read. 

 

In pandemic situations like the one that we are facing currently, the public trust runs pretty low and it becomes easy for anyone to manipulate it. 

 

Blockchain technology can help in the area, by authenticating the data related to both the status of the outbreak and valid information about it, such as precautionary measures, symptoms, etc. 

 

Blockchain-Based Data-Visualization App

 

Data visualization apps are being used to track and provide real-time data about the spread of the disease, both globally and individually. Backed by blockchain technology, these applications can authenticate the information before making it live in front of the public. The computational trust offered by DLT and the use of a shared public ledger brings transparency into the data visualization tools. 

 

These applications derive data from sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), government health departments, media outlets, etc. 

 

The data from the credible source is entered into the DLT backed system followed by the generation of a reference file that includes metadata matching the information to the source. 

 

Since the data is shared and cryptographically secured, there is no chance of manipulation and alterations. The sources can even interact with each other on the open platform. This not only helps in authentication and transparency of information but aid researchers and healthcare officials with reliable data on the disease as well. People get access to time-stamped and tamper-proof information, which is generated by leveraging the computational trust of Blockchain technology. 

 

Over the years, people have become well acquainted with the term Blockchain, especially because the technology promises transparency of information. Many within the technology community have upheld DLT for the enhancement and reformation of the healthcare systems around the world. However, all have been on a more theoretical level with very few practical use cases. The advent of a novel coronavirus has amplified the process with various organizations and governments relying on Blockchain technology to track the disease and study it, providing people with trustworthy information.

 

As we move past this crisis, Blockchain technology has shown positive signs of being implemented in mainstream healthcare, to avert such a crisis in the future and modernize the existing legacy systems.