Public health services are being pushed to their limits and containing the coronavirus epidemic has proved the need for improved technology and services within the health sector.
COVID-19 has touched every aspect of the lives of billions of people around the globe. Hospitals and health officials are struggling to communicate and exchange data between one another and the public.
Telecommunications giant Huawei has set up a 5G network in the heart of the coronavirus outbreak in a new hospital located in Wuhan specifically built to combat the global epidemic. The digital applications and capabilities that 5G can present to healthcare officials will help them collect and distribute data among colleagues in new and exciting ways.
Collecting Data With 5G
5G is supporting online functions that even a few years ago would have been difficult to achieve and with its ability to transfer more bandwidth at higher speeds, we can now exchange more data in real-time. In China, we are seeing these advantages implemented to fight back against COVID-19 with methods that have not been available before.
“Social distancing” is already making a case for the phrase of the year and this practice can get a boost from the help of 5G networks.
The 5G network in China has allowed doctors and other health professionals the ability to diagnose and monitor patients remotely. This provides a convenient method for patients to get checked all while protecting health care professionals in the process.
Telecommunication through the 5G network will also help doctors be able to collaborate and get ahead of pandemics in a quicker manner. Data can be shared and analyzed between medical professionals across the world to help slow viruses before they spiral out of control.
Taking things further, 5G can help with thermal imaging to read temperatures of people who are at risk of becoming infected and provide alerts when temperatures rise to a concerning level. 5G powered robots can assist in caring for patients who are infected to provide the appropriate level of care.
Considering we are seeing many healthcare professionals affected by the virus from treating patients, the breakthroughs that 5G can bring can help save the lives of the brave men and women who put their lives on the line, as well as their friends and families who may come into contact with them.
Emerging Opportunities With 5G to Fight Future Pandemics
The speed that 5G has provided medical professionals has led to many positive results including safer monitoring, faster response times, greater collaboration and data exchange and more.
These examples can be a lesson to other industries and further innovation within the healthcare sector. The opportunities will present themselves for emerging businesses to help monitor, identify, and prevent future potential threats. Considering we may be dealing with COVID-19 for a “year or two”, according to Adam Kucharski from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, these opportunities may come sooner rather than later.
Organizations that are created for the sole purpose of monitoring new threats and eliminating them before they reach pandemic levels can be critical for helping contain viruses. Centers dedicated to monitoring and analyzing medical supplies, supply chains, and other logistics needed to ensure patients’ needs are met.
The COVID-19 outbreak has brought on unprecedented challenges, yet it is also providing many opportunities that can help societies on a global scale deal with threats now and in the future. With 5G capabilities slated to only improve, these networks can help save lives through prevention and quicker action among medical professionals.
Source: IoT Business News