What role does information technology play in pandemic mitigation?

Computers and technology are inextricably linked. The term “computer” now refers to more than just a calculating machine; it can also be used as a communication tool, as well as a video player, audio player, and other functions. In the last 20 years, the content that is processed by computers and communications has changed dramatically. The latest information technology trends are inextricably linked to Digital Reality, Blockchain, and Cognitive Technology, all of which are aimed at supporting the concept of The Business of Technology, in which business and technology teams collaborate to deliver results faster without sacrificing important company requirements (scalability, reliability, security, maintenance, etc.)

Investment in information technology (IT) is frequently viewed as a precondition and source of economic innovation by management, but it is also viewed as an excessive expenditure that cannot be effectively appraised. In actuality, management and information technology are inextricably linked in the administration of people’s lives, in both routine and emergency situations.

Unnoticed, new technology has been interwoven into everyday life. In a crisis management situation, technology’s most crucial job is to  (a) connect, inform, and ultimately save the lives of those affected by the tragedy; (b) to restore connectivity to the affected area so that the government can communicate with citizens and people can find their loved ones; (c) to enable responders to coordinate rescue missions and work efficiently since they arrived in the disaster zone;  (d) to assist with business recovery so that the community can begin rebuilding more quickly; (e) to assist in the process of analyzing, tracking, and reporting on the disaster.

In general, the advancement of computing and telecommunications technologies in the second half of the twentieth century and the early twenty-first century will significantly alter crisis management as we know it now. Managers dealing with and handling crises will combine resources and new technology utilities to improve all aspects of decision-making in dealing with and handling crises.

The role of technology in crisis management is divided into two categories: infrastructure provision (digital telephones, satellite dishes, scanners, fax machines, personal computers, local and wide area networks, including the Internet, digital cameras, geographic positioning systems, geographic information systems, programs modeling chemical dispersions, and digital pagers), and the role of technology in crisis response. The focus of this section is on the response to the question, “What role does information technology play in pandemic mitigation?”

Technology that assists in health care institutions and supports the community in being united in the face of a pandemic has a direct impact on the process. When mitigation is carried out with a strategy of maintaining distance, technologies that do not have a direct impact on the process but greatly support the achievement of the process are technologies that allow less human contact but do not impair the quality and intensity of information flow.

Because there are no medicines for treatment or vaccines for prevention, the policies adopted by each country’s health authority are social constraints with both economic and non-economic consequences. Slowing the spread of COVID-19 requires a significant amount of social separation. If the transmission is not stopped, the healthcare system’s capacity will soon be reached. Social separation would be impossible to do without today’s technologies. Work, education, worship, and personal socializing activities are all examples. We can interact online and travel the shortest distance feasible thanks to technology.

A pandemic’s economic impact can be devastating across practically all economic sectors. The tourism industry, including hotels and restaurants, is one of the numerous industries that has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The implementation of business continuity plans for business people through online communication facilities such as Facetime, Zoom, Skype, Webex, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and others, as well as previously known instant messenger applications like WhatsApp, WeChat, and others, demonstrates the role of IT in this mitigation and preparation period.

For both commercial and personal reasons, this technology has enabled people all over the world to stay socially linked from the comfort of their own homes. During the pandemic, the use of video conferencing applications grew substantially, according to statistics collected in the popularity of video conferencing programs in the following US markets. During this mitigation and preparedness time, IT also plays an operational role in remotely monitoring and delivering help to affected locations and people via Drone devices.

China, the United States, Spain, and other countries employ drones to monitor quarantine, spray disinfectants, monitor traffic, and provide medical supplies to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Drones are being utilized in Chile to deliver medicine to elderly persons who are unable to leave their homes, as well as to carry parcels and even passengers.

This is possible due to the rapid advancement of drone technology, which includes the use of powerful computers, high-resolution digital cameras, GPS systems, and lightweight materials like plastic and carbon fiber. Drones and their supporting applications are being used to detect temperatures, heart rates, and breathing rates of individuals in crowds and to monitor search and rescue activities in New York, according to recent developments.

If there is a trigger for the action, early notice can be given so that a suitable responsive response can be determined. Artificial Intelligence (AI), an area of computer science that focuses on the building of intelligent machines that operate and react like people, was one of the IT devices discovered to have a role at the time.

For example, The HealthMap system at Boston Children’s Hospital scanned online news and social media to look for infectious diseases, according to reporters from the Associated Press. This AI system discovered a social media post about Wuhan’s health authorities.