Technology Could Help Revolutionize Epidemic Response, But With It Comes Bugs, Glitches And Human Error
While experts say that technology can be a useful addition to traditional containment strategies, it comes with its own pitfalls. A look at how some countries have utilized it highlights tech's potential but also the mistakes that can be made.
The Wall Street Journal:
Fever-Detecting Goggles And Disinfectant Drones: Countries Turn To Tech To Fight Coronavirus
Drones spray disinfectant over South Korea. Police wear thermal imaging goggles to detect fevers in China. And a chatbot fields coronavirus questions in Australia. The tech industry has long touted how ubiquitous connectivity, flashy gadgets and big data can improve people’s lives. The novel coronavirus epidemic is putting that bold promise to the test. Health officials across Asia-Pacific, home to the first waves of virus contagion, have sought to repurpose existing technology to combat the fast-spreading virus. (Martin and Lin, 3/10)
NBC News:
What Taiwan Can Teach The World On Fighting The Coronavirus
As countries around the world grapple with the coronavirus, Taiwan may offer valuable lessons on how to curb its spread... Taiwan has had only 47 cases of COVID-19 and one death as of Tuesday — far fewer than China’s 80,754 cases and 3,136 deaths, a stark contrast even when taking into account the enormous population difference: Taiwan’s 23 million to China’s 1.4 billion. Taiwan’s numbers are also much lower than neighboring countries such as South Korea, which has had more than 7,500 cases, and Japan, with 530. It’s also faring better than countries much farther away from China, such as Italy, with more than 9,000 cases, and the United States, which has over 700. (Sui, 3/10)
Meanwhile —
The Wall Street Journal:
Coronavirus School Closures Expose Digital Haves And Have-Nots
The ability of schools across the country to hold classes remotely is being tested as more close in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Also being tested: the ability of families to get their homes tech-ready so children can log in to virtual classrooms. More than 23,500 students across 33 campuses of the Northshore School District in suburban Seattle began joining Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings with their teachers on Monday morning and completing assignments via Google Classroom. (Jargon, 3/10)
