How Can Blockchain Reduce Negative Effects in Covid-19 Outbreak?

 

In the days when the pathogen, classified as “SARS CoV-2” by the International Virus Naming Committee Coronavirus Working Group, and named as “COVID-19” by the World Health Organization, has dragged the world to an unprecedented economic and spiritual crisis, we encounter the most worryingly dirty and unfounded information on social media and communication channels. As I see these unfounded news, I once again respect Blockchain technology and I wish that the entire communication database would be moved to Blockchain. We need the dissemination of accurate information instantly and unmediated with the approval of selected experts. I watch with astonishment that even the news sites that we think of trustworthy are using this crisis and people’s concerns to make false news for the sake of rating. Because it is very easy to make baseless news especially on the internet and there is no reasonable deterrent to do so. It seems that they prefer taking the rating to the (possible) legal processes that might occur after publishing fake news .

One of the biggest controversy issues right now is whether Covid-19 is produced by mankind. An article about the genome sequence of the new coronavirus has been published in the Journal of Nature, which has recently been considered one of the safest broadcast channels in the scientific world. In the article “Our analysis clearly shows that the SARS-CoV-2 does not has a laboratory structure and is not a purposefully manipulated virus.” expressions were included. Thus, a scientific source was published, which states that this virus was not produced in a laboratory environment.

We should trust what this article has revealed because, unlike the articles circulating on the internet, its accuracy has been confirmed by highly qualified independent referees, including Nobel laureate scientists. However, there are those who still do not believe the facts and who resist obeying precautions and rules, thinking that we are drawn into a large economic vortex.

It is known how paranoia is a process of thought and delusions. In psychology, the concept, which is the opposite of paranoia is called “pronoia”. If you are experiencing pronoia, you believe that everyone around you and every event exists to support you. So your mind structure stays in alpha and you trigger channels that automatically make you feel positive. According to Albert Einstein, “The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.” Because whatever we believe slowly becomes our reality, this is inevitable. It is precisely for this reason that in this difficult process we are overcoming psychologically, staying in pronoya, ensuring our own isolation by not only considering ourselves, but also the well-being of others, and ensuring our own isolation by following the rules, and not focusing our attention our anxieties but to promoting other people’s wellbeing and to how we can overcome this urgent threat is the right way for all of us.

Corona and the Decelerating Economy

While the world is in a deep slowdown, the decisions taken by the Fed and others (about 40 central banks in total) that seek to resolve the economic collapse is not creating the desired effects because the situation concerns human nature and there lies a health problem to be solved. Therefore, experts say that the economic crisis cannot be overcome as long as the source of the problem, that is, the health problem continues. It is difficult to replace the companies that have stopped producing. This situation will certainly end. We do not know how long it will last but the world will never be the same once it is over, because we will all get out of this weakened economy by getting poor; we will be poorer in total. However, by approaching the event with the pronoia, I interpret this impoverishment as a blow by the universal balance to excess consumption which is what makes us deeply unhappy, and I think this impoverishment and deceleration may not be as scary as we thought, it may even be necessary. Of course, it is not possible to be upset about the lives lost and unemployed people, but nature will take its course eventually. For the rest, life continues, even from our homes. As fast acceptors of innovation and change, as Blockchain enthusiasts, we will keep up with this change quickly, and continue our way from where we left, as the conditions require and allow.

In fact, as someone who is closely interested in the concept of natural sciences and sustainability, I was already waiting for such a “retaliation of nature” scenario or a sudden and commanding change would surely come. But I always believed that when the day came, technology would save us, but that is not the case. It is time to understand how insufficient the humanity is.

But how can technology and especially Blockchain technology help us in this process? Can it reduce the effects of the corona crisis? The answer is yes. Blockchain technology has already started to be used in many areas for mitigation of the effects and fast action.

Accurate and Fast Data Monitoring for Medical Intervention

Other viruses like Corona have affected life in different ways before, but this time it has become stronger and has become a virus that can adapt to many different geographies and spread to the whole world. One of the dangerous aspects of the virus is that 20% of those exposed to this pathogen is in need of hospital care. It is very normal to worry about the collapse of the health system when the virus has spread all over the world and the need for care is so high. In addition, experts struggling with a new type of virus have not yet been able to clearly address the effects of the virus on humans and how they can prevent it. High-quality data is needed to model viruses; with these models, governments can make suggestions about how to prevent the disease. However, especially in such a crisis environment, it is very difficult to obtain this data in a correct and approved manner. In fact, one of the reasons we provide our own isolation in our homes is a precaution taken to save time until the experts collect enough data.

Nonetheless, it is possible to manage health records safely and facilitate cooperation without compromising health privacy and security by using Blockchain technology. These records can include patient data, treatments given, and progress detected. Blockchain also ensures that data is archived and protected from any unauthorized access; it also makes it available for the entire health system. Of course, countries should be willing to share information openly and modestly in support of this process. Those who understood that it was time to produce solutions based on decentralized technologies within this crisis, even started to take action on the subject.

In addition, many governments and commercial initiatives have announced that they will begin to take action by collecting data using smartphones and Blockchain technology to anonymously track the movements of infected individuals and suspects with high risk in the quarantine process.

Supply Chain in Corona Days

Since we have a family business, I had the opportunity to closely observe how unpredictable chaos occurred in the medical equipment supply process in this period. The fraudsters, fake products, which have mixed the market, which is already troubled, the market has become incompetent with the deliveries that have been exceedingly extended.

How can Blockchain provide solutions in the medical supply chain:

• Data Security: It is very important to be able to exchange real-time information about the technical requirements of the product through the Blockchain-based digital database, which is connected to health regulators. It is possible to control that suppliers can produce equipment at the right quality, right production volume and at the right time, using Blockchain technology.
• Payments: With the smart contract technology, producers can be paid securely for pre-agreed production stages. Thus, when each step of the predetermined and contracted supply road map is completed, payment transactions are performed automatically with the assurance of smart contract.
• Transportation Tracking: Blockchain, which is actively used in the supply chain of food products, can be used in all areas of medical material production. This enables safe and transparent delivery and tracking of worldwide delivery transactions.
• Customs Certificates: As there are strict legal regulations for medical equipment at customs, the equipment must go through toilsome validation processes in order to carry it internationally. Blockchain-based customs certificates are available in many industries. Blockchain-based applications can also be used for medical product export.

Aid in Corona Days

Nowadays, when we understand the importance of aid, it is time to go hand in hand and help others. We cannot expect everything from governments, but as always, there will also be those who try to gain individual benefits using this situation in a crisis environment. The best way to avoid this is to initiate donation campaigns with Blockchain, our wonderful technology, where transfers can be tracked transparently and anonymously. Again, many governments, commercial and non-commercial initiatives have rolled up and started to receive donations via Blockchain.

A visionary example came from Italy. In cooperation with Italia4Blockchain and Federazione Lavoratori Pubblici e Funzioni Pubbliche (FLP), a non-profit project called “Italian Wonders” was announced to support the cultural heritage in Italy during the Covid-19 outbreak. The project aims to provide funding to municipalities by tokenizing the Italian cultural and artistic heritage.

Similar projects which target fast and reliable way to deliver aid to people in need can be done quickly in Turkey. In this period, all of us have a conscientious responsibility. We should all be aware of the fact that we need to take on responsibility, thinking about what we can do and how we can create impact and act fast. I think this is going to be a very psychologically challenging process for many, and this is the best and perhaps even the only way to ensure that we remain healthy and positive in mind.