Blockchain technology and its applications to combat COVID-19 pandemic

• Published in: Research on biomedical engineering Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 173 - 180
• Main Authors: Sharma, Abhishek, Bahl, Shashi, Bagha, Ashok Kumar, Javaid, Mohd, Shukla, Dinesh Kumar, Haleem, Abid
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.03.2022
• Subjects: Biomaterials; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedical Engineering/Biotechnology; Engineering; Review; Special Issue: Emerging Technologies for Fighting COVID-19; COVID-19; Blockchain technology (BT); Healthcare; Coronavirus
• ISSN: 2446-4732; 2446-4740
• DOI: 10.1007/s42600-020-00106-3

Background and aims The world is currently facing multifaceted problems due to the emergence of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Blockchain technology (BT) plays a vital role in creating a platform for adequately managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The latest information on the blockchain and its application in solving challenging problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic are collected and discussed from the available literature searched through PubMed, Scopus, and Google scholar. Results In this paper, we propose a blockchain-based platform to combat this pandemic. Furthermore, we have identified and discussed nine significant applications of blockchain in solving the problem arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions The severity of COVID-19 was so tremendous that the World Health Organization (WHO) had to declare it as a pandemic within a month of its full-scale expansion. The greatest challenge most governments are suffering from is the lack of a precise mechanism to detect the newly infected cases and predict coronavirus infection risk. So, we need a technology-empowered solution to fight during this COVID-19 crisis. The various features of blockchain technology, such as decentralization, transparency, and immutability, can help control this pandemic by early detection of outbreaks, fast-tracking drug delivery, and protecting user privacy during treatment.