Technology companies across the country have been able to test their bold ideas in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic, with drones now spraying disinfectant over South Korea and police using thermal imaging goggles in China to detect fevers, according to The Wall Street Journal.
South Korea is among the countries that has been hit the hardest. In response, the government has rolled out a "Self-Quarantine Safety Protection" app that tracks roughly 30,000 people who have been told to stay at home for two weeks. If a person takes their phone out of a restricted area, an alert will go off and a case officer will be notified.
Officials in Singapore are also testing out technology to track individuals' movements. Health officials have asked citizens to scan QR codes as they go about their days. The QR codes are in taxis, office lobbies, tourist attractions and college.
Australia is relying on a chatbot, dubbed "Sam," to answer individuals' questions about their symptoms. However, the virtual assistant does not recognize the correct spelling for the coronavirus, reports WSJ. The Australian health department is working to update the system to refer patients to Covid-19 resources.
In China, where the outbreak began, health officials and local law enforcement are using innovative technology, including thermal fever-detecting goggles. Additionally, unmanned aerial vehicles are being used to send thermal imaging of areas that might be infected to personnel on the ground.
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