The Algorand Foundation has launched iReport COVID survey app to help combat the Coronavirus. iReport COVID app allows individuals to report their information anonymously about everything related to COVID-19. This app can also be used by those who have had no symptoms, had to be or had been quarantined, or feel that they have met someone who has been infected with COVID-19.
The iReport-COVID application is built on the Algorand public blockchain, where free access to data is ensured. This makes this application a tool for informing and enabling research about this pandemic.
Visit the iReport- COVID worldwide survey for more information to help gain knowledge about the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19, what a topic those days! Yes, not just for those, who get sick with this virus, but also for the governments and scientists all around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic shook with the minds and decision processes of many. But the approach can differ from person to person, from country to country, from the government to government and from a totalitarian regime to democratic one. But the truth should remain the same. And at best, it can be leveraged by the immutable blockchain.
What is blockchain? An immutable source of the truth.
What are some governments and leaders afraid of and wants to make it crooked in some way? The truth.
Who writes the history? Those who have won on the battlefield and are in charge. They have the power and authority to rewrite history books.
Some governments are manipulating with the pandemic numbers. Some of them want the results to look more human and those who make great decisions, the true leaders, with which it is not discussed. Some need to frighten up the citizens so they can prolong the state of emergency to cover up their shady contracts and corruption. But what have they in common? Avoid spreading accurate information about the pandemic.
Could it be helpful for scientists and governments to see real data from previous pandemics? From Spanish-flu, from The Black Death of the 14th century and others? Definitely! But there is no such a report, we have just a few information from limited sources.
What if in 20 years, or 100 years could be the next pandemic? Can the scientists and governments use the data from this year? Maybe they can, maybe they are too manipulated that they can’t.
An approach of Algorand to the pandemic tracing
This is where blockchain could help. And where it is already helping. But how? Let’s dive into it!
Algorand Foundation created a survey application, where data are stored on the Algorand blockchain. So, when the data are immediately and immutably stored on the blockchain, no one can manipulate them or adjust according to the metrics of the country. Some countries counted all the cases, another counted just the severe cases and hospitalized people. Even in the future, the data can’t be changed or manipulated.
Those data are directly from people all around the world. Not just data reported from governments and special health agencies or hospitals. Some people even didn’t take the test or went to the hospital, because they had just slight symptoms of the Coronavirus.
To be sure, no matter how well designed, a contact tracing app is no substitute for a well-organized medical system where everyone can be tested. However, contract tracing remains important even when all other tools are in place. In fact, since this disease is spread even by asymptomatic individuals, contact tracing is most useful when ubiquitous testing is available.
founder of Algorand Silvio Micali about his innovative approach for Covid-19 contact tracing
We might find this tracing app valuable within the next few weeks or months. Or at the moment, when COVID-19 will hit hard for the recurrent time. It might be later this year or the other. Or never, but no one really knows.
And even beyond COVID-19, this data stored on the blockchain can be valuable in the next decade or century. Same as if we could have the data from Spanish flu or The Black Death of the 14th century.
To help gain the knowledge about this pandemic, visit the iReport-Covid worldwide survey at the website https://ireport.algorand.org/
Used photos are from Pixabay or web iReport-COVID app
