Roles of Technology During COVID-19

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Chapter 1: Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating impacts on every functional aspect of society, with hundreds of thousands dead and millions more infected in just a few short months. Although many countries and regions, such as Canada and most of Europe, have shown significant decreases in the number of active cases, the pandemic is far from over and, on a global level, the peak has yet to even be reached as of July 2020 (Neustaeter, 2020). What started as a small outbreak in Wuhan, China back in late 2019 quickly snowballed into a public health emergency of international concern by the end of January before being declared a global pandemic on March 11, 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2020a). Within an instant, countries were scrambling to close borders, shut down public spaces and workplaces, and draft new regulations to reduce the spread of COVID-19; the world was in a state of limbo and it seemed as if nobody knew what to do next. For many, this was their first time experiencing a global crisis to this degree and concerns from citizens and governments alike rapidly formed. What will happen to the economy? How will children receive an education? When can families reunite once again? These are just some of the questions that dominated citizens as this new normal began to set in. Despite taking some time to adjust, however, solutions to almost all of these concerns began to be put in place largely because of advancements in modern technology.

Modern technology has arguably been one of the greatest strengths and weaknesses in the fight against COVID-19. It is also one of the key distinguishing factors between COVID-19 and pandemics of the past, as the advancement of technology over the last several decades has led to unforeseen benefits and consequences. It has impacted everything ranging from how COVID-19 is detected, diagnosed, and treated, to socio-political and economic changes that have occurred as a result of this pandemic.

Perhaps the greatest asset in the fight against this pandemic has been the ability to use existing technologies to detect, diagnose, and treat COVID-19 while also directly protecting individuals from the virus. The presence of infectious diseases in the healthcare system is by no means a new concept, and the need for sterility and protection in such a setting has led to masks that can block the transmission of pathogens, specifically surgical and N95 masks that had been developed decades prior. In fact, the N95 masks that protect healthcare workers today were invented back in 1995 (Page, 2020). With the COVID-19 pandemic being as widespread as it is, the technology used in not only developing the masks but also increasing the rate of their production has been invaluable, as they, along with other forms of personal protective equipment (PPE), have proven to be some of the most simple yet effective tools in reducing the transmission of airborne pathogens. Furthermore, diagnostic technologies such as antibody tests and immunohistochemistry have changed the efficiency of testing. The progress of immunological research and modern technologies have allowed the genome of the novel coronavirus to be determined (Science Daily, 2020), and additional treatment strategies to be tested at a higher rate than in the past. Additionally, advances in vaccine technology as a result of genetic engineering have allowed us to develop more efficacious vaccines.

In addition to the application of pre-existing technologies, this pandemic has provided an opportunity for human ingenuity and innovation to shine, with many new technologies being used and developed to curb the spread of COVID-19. This includes the use of artificial intelligence, 3D printing to produce PPE and other Equipment, and even apps that the general public can download. One example of this is the implementation of the COVID Alert app by the government of Canada which uses bluetooth to detect the phones of individuals that a person has come into close contact with and will then send them an alert if any of their contacts has tested positive. This technology does not collect the location, name, or any other personal information, and has the potential to significantly boost the efficiency of contact tracing on a large scale. New developments such as these will continue to help the fight against COVID-19 and may even prove to be a valuable tool for future emergencies (Aiello, 2020).

Technology has also had a substantial impact on our health from an individual and public health perspective, thus having profound societal implications. The development of social media and online meeting platforms have allowed people to connect with one another like never before. In a time such as this, where social distancing measures are strict and widespread, feelings of isolation would normally be incredibly common which can have numerous negative mental and physical health effects. This is especially true for the senior population, who due to their increased risk of developing complications as a result of COVID-19, must remain especially physically isolated from the general population. However, many platforms such as Zoom, FaceTime, and Google Meets are being used to ensure that people are able to connect and speak with one another, thus reducing the potential mental health consequences of this pandemic. At the same time, it is possible that reliance on technology has dire consequences with respect to mental health. With regard to physical health, many gyms and training facilities are now transitioning towards the use of technology to deliver their services virtually. This may be through uploading pre-recorded workouts and workout schedules, hosting live fitness classes, or allowing people to book appointments for in-person sessions to ensure that social distancing measures within facilities may be met.

Despite its benefit in the fight against COVID-19, however, it has become one of society’s greatest vulnerabilities. This is because the demand for and dependence on technology by society as a whole leads to significant consequences when those needs are unable to be met. One of the most critical examples of this is the increased risk faced by healthcare workers due to an inadequate PPE supply chain which has led to shortages. In fact, many workers, such as those working at two Toronto hospitals, are being told that they will have to reuse decontaminated N95 masks, which are meant to be single use only, as a result of the shortage (Warren, 2020). In addition to this, shortages of ventilators and other critical tools in healthcare settings have unfortunately led to the death of many people, as was the case in Italy in April when doctors were put into a position of deciding who lives and who dies due to the shortage in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and equipment (Beall, 2020). Needless to say, the significantly increased demand for technology has been one of the most significant bottlenecks in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Although the situation has improved substantially, many workers are still required to reuse PPE for prolonged periods of time which poses a potential danger to both the healthcare provider and the patient.

Despite the scientific nature of the advancements that have been made with regards to technology, there have been profound related impacts in all social aspects of society, including culture, politics, and economics. With the pandemic confining everyone to their own home and preventing people from seeing one another face-to-face, the incorporation of new technology such as video calling platforms to allow some level of connection was seen as a necessity by many. This necessity also extends to the workplace, with many businesses switching to teleconferencing softwares and a work from home model in order to adapt to the changes in lifestyle brought about by the pandemic. However, while some businesses have been able to adapt and thus resume operation, many businesses have still seen dangerous cuts to revenue or have gone bankrupt. The result of this has been one of the worst economic downturns in human history that will have a plethora of long-lasting and significant consequences. With regards to politics, many new policies have been implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19, such as the closing of businesses and public settings, which as mentioned have their own consequences, the mandating of masks, and the closure of borders. Many of the decisions pertaining to each of these social aspects were largely impacted by the presence of technology, clearly demonstrating that its reach is far greater than one might think.

One of the key downfalls of technology throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is the role that the internet and media have played in the perpetuation of misinformation, thus significantly harming the fight against COVID-19. In a world of close to 8 billion people, approximately 3.5 billion people are online in some way, with the number of facebook users alone growing from 518 million in 2010, to a staggering 2.26 billion in 2018 (Ortiz-Ospina, 2019), and the number of new users joining social media platforms every year is by no means slowing down. This acts as a distinguishing factor between COVID-19 and previous pandemics, as the level at which information, and subsequently misinformation, can be created and spread is far greater than ever witnessed before. Unfortunately, misinformation is not only circulating throughout the internet, but is in fact being interacted with far more than credible information. The result of this is an increase in the spread of COVID-19, and people opposing vaccines and refusing to listen to public health advice. Although social media may be one of the greatest tools of the twenty-first century to keep individuals connected, it has arguably been one of society's greatest weaknesses in the fight against this virus.

A global event of this size and severity will certainly have numerous long-lasting impacts even after the virus itself has subsided. With billions of lives being directly affected and the world facing one of the worst economic downturns in history, it will take years to recuperate to a level that is close to the normal everyone once knew. Many of the implications and changes, however, will not necessarily directly impact citizens on an individual level. These impacts include changes to the economy and efficiency focused global supply chains, new pandemic and emergency preparedness strategies and policies, and even the hindrance of a transition towards a more sustainable future. On an individual level, people may begin to see changes to the workplace, travel, culture, and how society views the ill. Despite society eventually returning to a state that will be rather similar to what it was before, this pandemic will ultimately leave its mark in history and embed itself in daily life for the years to come.

With the advancement of technology being one of the key distinguishing factors between COVID-19 and past pandemics, it is crucial to understand the diverse and significant impacts that it has had on the fight against the virus. This book will take a multifaceted approach to understanding the implications of technological advancements in recent times, and will cover topics ranging from the use of technology to prevent, diagnose, and treat COVID-19, to its socioeconomic and political consequences.

The hope of this book is to provide an accurate portrayal of the role of technology during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will assess the impact of technology on various stakeholders such as individuals, society, businesses and the government. Furthemore, it will analyze the advancement of technology throughout COVID-19 and finally how technology has influenced change in everyday life to different degrees.

Research conducted on this topic will outline how technology has impacted various parties and further evaluate the benefits and detriments of its use. These conclusions will include findings pertaining to technology and its influence on the well-being of individuals and communities, as well as its impacts on a larger scale with regards to different levels of governments and businesses. Given the unique circumstances of the pandemic, we hope to inform readers and provide a changed perspective surrounding the role of technology. This information may potentially be utilized to make future educated decisions regarding policies in governments, businesses, or organizations as well as personal choices. The hope is that the aggregate of this research will aid in preventing the spread of misinformation surrounding the current pandemic and help lead to a more informed society.

Chapter 2: Diagnostic Technologies

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the many events in history which has instilled a great deal of fear and confusion among the general population. This nation have gone from seeing a single cough being as insignificant as a mosquito bite, to fearing them as