Eight months since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the novel coronavirus continues its relentless spread across the globe. We are a long way from business-as-usual. But tackling the pandemic over the past year has revealed the enormous opportunity that lies in crisis. Even as the second wave of infections begins to engulf many parts of the world, these opportunities remain as pertinent as ever.
Addressing the PPE shortage
When the pandemic broke out, it quickly became evident that there was a worldwide shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), which are the first line of defence for frontline healthcare workers. In response, the World Health Organisation (WHO) urged nations to boost their PPE manufacturing capacity by 40 per cent.
Many businesses pivoted their business strategies to meet the rising PPE demand. For instance, India, which had almost no PPE manufacturing capabilities before the pandemic, quickly became the second-largest PPE producer globally. Even now, the shortage of PPE remains critical in many countries. Besides healthcare workers, working professionals also require masks and gloves to ensure safety at work. Given the current shortages of protective gear, we can expect to see the demand for PPE continue in the months ahead.
Ensuring access to essentials
As people continue to stay indoors to keep the virus at bay and with lockdowns resuming in many countries, access to essentials like food and medicine must stay strong. In the initial months of the pandemic, many start-ups in India pivoted their models, while retaining their core vision. For instance, we saw cloud kitchens expanding their products to include fruits and vegetables and bike rental companies offering delivery services for essential commodities. The demand for these services will remain as social distancing norms continue.
Driving innovative solutions
One of the earliest challenges that governments worldwide faced was the early detection of infection and contact tracing. Technology played a crucial role in addressing these challenges. High infection rates and social distancing measures also spurred a wave of innovative solutions to try and navigate the pandemic as seamlessly as possible. In the US, one company-built AI-based thermal sensors to detect fever in large groups.
In India, drones were used to detect infection and sanitise the city of Hyderabad. Additionally, the Government of India’s Aarogya Setu app allowed users to see if they had come into contact with infected individuals so that they could get themselves tested and seek treatment. Manufacturers and universities like the Indian Institutes of Technology also responded to the shortage of testing and hospital infrastructure with affordable testing kits, hospital beds and ventilators. Such innovations are crucial to ensuring early detection and containment of the disease.
The past several months have been a testament to the adaptive capabilities of governments, businesses and innovators across the world. Even as we race towards a vaccine, the challenges of ‘new normal’ present plenty of opportunities for innovation.
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