COVID-19 Information Sharing with Blockchain

Abstract

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a novel coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China. The virus rapidly spread over more than 200 countries around the world and caused deaths of more than 690.000 of people. To prevent rapid spreading of this disease, the information sharing related to the findings about the COVID-19 disease must be fast and secure between countries. Since the COVID-19 related health data such as the symptoms and private patient records are confidential, such information requires privacy protection. The blockchain and smart contracts are well-suited solutions for speed, privacy, and security needs of dissemination the COVID-19 related information. Blockchain based e-health solutions have been discussed for years. However, a pandemic is more important than the regular health problems. Thus, this study proposes how critical pandemic related information should be shared between the participating countries and can be accessed by health data actors such as researchers, doctors, laboratory staff, authorized institutions of different countries as well as the World Health Organization.