The pandemic put the world at a standstill, and many are still relying on technology to help them through it. There was no real interaction going on in person, and going online was the fallback. The Coronavirus devastated many countries and was the cause of an economic downfall. Governments, institutions, and other companies were left reeling, looking for an opportunity to offer better treatment, while also managing business sectors.
There are incredible technological advancements out there that assisted many businesses and governmental teams during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- AI and Technology in Healthcare
Because the basis of this discussion revolves around healthcare, let’s start with how technology sectors succeeded during the pandemic. To be specific, the pandemic has accelerated the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI). Although there were already AI practices being used within healthcare before the pandemic, the Coronavirus accelerated the practices and improved the usage.
It is adamant to know the algorithms are not mature enough to succeed in discovering their insights of a vaccine candidate on their own, but they have helped in the data being processed, according to the World Economic Forum.
Another innovative technology source that soured throughout the pandemic is Telehealth services, used to diagnose and treat patients remotely. This actively helped first responders care for the tough cases of Covid-positive in hospitals while dealing with other procedures remotely.
- Online Sales and Deliveries
The amazing act of contactless and driverless deliveries emerged as a popular way to obtain groceries and other necessities during the pandemic. With everyone being at home and having nothing other to do than online shop and clean, there was a sharp increase in online sales. Companies were scrambling to figure out how to ensure all were equally involved in the distribution of products. So, these companies started to offer contactless delivery, and it quickly soared in popularity. This became so popular because it reduced the interactions between delivery drivers and customers.
These days there is no need to ever go to the grocery store again because of the numerous ways to pick up your items, whether that be contactless drive-up offers or delivery to your front door.
- Remote Work Tools
We all were scared and confused once stay-at-home orders started rolling around to prevent the future spread of the virus. Because of this new order in place, a major disruption for businesses in all sectors had to close their doors. During this time, we didn’t know when these businesses would be back, and so a solution to work from home was instilled.
At first, businesses dreaded this working model, but as the pandemic surged on with no end in sight, many companies grew to respect remote work and began to realize the long list of its benefits.
Who knew that we could attend work while in our pajamas, in the comfort of our bed? These companies sure embraced it, after all.
- Virtual Experiences
Week after week, we started to realize that going to concerts and attending museums was something in the past. Stay-at-home orders did not just affect work, they also forced many to entertain themselves instead of being entertained by others. Many went on Netflix and picked up a few new hobbies like crocheting or baking bread. However, many were quickly becoming stir crazy and wanted out of their quarantine bubble.
Museums, zoos, and famous theme parks started offering virtual experiences, even taking us behind the scenes. So, if some felt like they needed some new scenery, but couldn’t obtain it, there was an option to experience it the same way, but virtually instead. Oftentimes, people were attending events in other countries, while mingling with others who share the same interests from miles away.
Popular musicians and actors started sharing live table reads and concerts from their homes, or studios. Video gamers started collaborating with popular musicians and athletes over popular platforms like Twitch, and people from all over the world were able to tune-in in real-time as if it was an in-person event.
- The Emergence of Tracker Applications
Lastly, let’s look at one of the most controversial technology gossips that emerged during the pandemic. During this time, several countries pushed for the use of mobile apps with the ability to track easily. This would help in tracking the movements of the populations and prevent further spreading of the virus.
Countries like Russia and China allegedly forced their citizens to download certain applications that would track their location and contain any potential risk. Other countries followed up by asking their citizens to download similar applications, but on a volunteer basis.
The pandemic shaped the curve in positive trends for technology. Many software developers have had time to be open to new challenges the pandemic addressed and are actively looking to technology to help the nation overcome obstacles. It is only natural that the post-pandemic society will have technology developments we have never seen before and will utilize in the future to come.
