Information age and digital technology against COVID-19

Characteristics of the information age

The information age (from about the 1970s) is the era in which information and knowledge, handled by computers and the internet, are the main sources of production, power and wealth.

• Information and knowledge are the main economic resources.
• Digital technology (computers, internet, mobile, cloud, AI) is everywhere.
• Knowledge workers dominate; education and ICT skills decide income.
• Global connectivity: instant communication, global markets, e-commerce.
• Networked, decentralised organisations, remote and flexible work.
• Rapid change and innovation; lifelong learning is needed.
• Service economy: IT, finance, education and media lead.
• New issues: digital divide, cyber crime, privacy, misinformation.

Digital technology in the fight against COVID-19

1. Online education: schools and universities (including in Nepal) used Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and learning management systems during lockdowns; radio and TV lessons reached students without internet.
2. Work from home: video conferencing, cloud storage and collaboration tools kept offices, banks and IT companies running.
3. Telemedicine: doctors consulted patients by phone and video, reducing hospital crowding and infection risk.
4. Contact tracing and tracking: mobile apps and data were used to trace contacts of infected people (e.g. apps in India, South Korea, Singapore).
5. Data dashboards and information: governments, including Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population, published daily case data online; WHO and other dashboards showed global spread for planning.
6. Awareness and communication: SMS, caller tunes, social media and websites spread health messages about masks, hand washing and distancing.
7. Digital payments and e-commerce: mobile wallets, mobile banking and online delivery reduced cash handling and crowding in markets.
8. Vaccine research: computing, genome sequencing and data sharing helped scientists develop vaccines in record time (e.g. mRNA vaccines).
9. Vaccination management: online registration, QR-code vaccination cards and digital certificates for travel.
10. Screening technology: thermal scanners at airports, AI-assisted analysis of chest CT/X-ray images.

Limitations seen: the digital divide left poor and rural students and patients behind, and misinformation also spread quickly on social media.

COVID-19 showed that digital technology is now essential infrastructure in the information age.