Covid-19 as seen from Outer Space: How Satellite Imaging may Prevent the next Pandemic
The current global climate has propelled mankind into unprecedented times. Civilisation as we know it has been thrown into uncharted territory with global economies and entire nations scrambling for solutions to a pandemic that doesn’t seem to be relenting anytime soon.
While the world awaits a vaccine for Covid-19, leaders have also identified the need for global participation to ensure that sound handling strategies are in place to protect us all during (and from) future outbreaks. A large part of these strategies lie in warning systems for early detection that will allow experts to implement rapid response measures before such incidents become widespread.
We take a look at the pivotal role that satellite technology and Earth Observation Data (EOD) can play in the future mitigation and even prevention of such an outbreak, potentially saving the World from the wide-spreading effects of another pandemic:
Location is pivotal: To fight against the dreaded virus
We all know about the advantages of contact tracing in the fight against the dreaded virus. Governments have been quick to recognise the importance of leveraging technology to find out who went where and when after contracting Covid-19. Out of these three areas, the ‘where’ seems to be the most important when it comes to reducing the exponential spread of any disease.
Satellite imaging takes this form of tracking to a whole new level. According to a scientist at the Institute for Disease Modeling in Seattle, tracked geospatial data (that can be extracted from satellite surveillance and images) provides specific characterisation of disease transmission, risk factors and forecasts of pathogen prevalence.
This essentially means that through expert modelling and understanding of key data points, industry experts are able to monitor places where specific diseases are more likely to emerge due to their risk-factors. Areas where human beings have direct contact with wildlife are fertile grounds for Zoonotic (animal to human) diseases — often occurring when there are human-initiated changes to landscapes. An example of where satellite data can help is to identify such areas and monitor them closely from outer space to take preventative steps towards the occurrence of transmissions.
Containment is key: Pandemic status may have been avoided
It is a foregone conclusion that several major powers failed to take the swift action necessary to contain Covid-19, leading to negative economic and health impacts with grave implications. That said, the necessary reliance on satellites has already been embraced by certain nations during the course of this disease.
Contextualised data and geographical insights through technologies such as geofencing, GPS trackers and sensors have been increasingly acknowledged as being able to assist in the planning of health resources and responses in the case of a pandemic. An example of this was seen recently in Kerala, India, where after cases of the virus were reported, primary and secondary contact tracing was collated through geo-mapping that allowed authorities to respond in a timely manner. This could have been one of the main contributing factors to the nation’s low rates of contraction during the early stage of the disease.
China also benefited greatly from the utilisation of satellite technology during the course of this pandemic. This was particularly seen in the government’s servicing of remote areas in Wuhan and Shantou. Telemedicine facilities were provided to patients in rural areas with the help of real-time imagery of patients that were then transmitted through a satellite moderator and processed to the communication satellite platform. This information was then sent back to the control centre.
There is no doubt that this is not the last time the world will experience a pandemic. The way in which it will be handled, however, will differ greatly through data and surveillance techniques bolstered by advances in technology. The success of leveraging observation data from outer space will rely heavily on a concerted collaborative approach between the space industry as well as government bodies to ensure that the world learns from its mistakes and handles future outbreaks in a timely and efficient manner.
Lessons learned: Covid-19 a catalyst for rapid digitalisation of healthcare industry
If one were to look at one positive effect that the pandemic has had on the world, it would be that it has brought about an urgency for governments and private enterprise to be operationally and technologically ready for any future phenomena of this magnitude. Through these tumultuous times, one thing that the world can be unanimous on is that the collation and analysis of data is critical in both the prevention and mitigation stages during such moments of crisis.
Companies such as Healthwave are setting out to change the way medical professionals and patients share insights and exchange knowledge to help shape the way that healthcare is delivered. Their central mandate, which was particularly pertinent during the pandemic, is to essentially help achieve efficient and sustainable systems change, especially in healthcare settings where attempts to utilise patient experience data have often failed to gain traction.
One roadblock experienced when collating data is that it is often an expensive exercise, taking up considerable resources due to their complexity and expert manpower required during the analysis stage. That being said, the digitalization of healthcare models has helped to offer professionals in the field with readily accessible data, gathered by an uptake in social media use as well as dramatic increase in internet usage during this period. It is no doubt that this data can function in tandem with that extracted from EO platforms to advance the healthcare industry forward and allow us to be better armed for any future pandemic of this nature.
We’re extremely excited about SpaceChain Foundation’s ongoing contribution to the space observation sphere, with our company being touted by Elecnor DEIMOS as key enablers of a more robust EO data commercialisation platform. Our technical and strategy teams look forward to adding further value to the industry through our collaborations with organisations, such as the European Space Agency, and create a safer environment through advancements in technology.
You can connect with SpaceChain as well as keep up-to-date with all of our developments via Twitter and subscribe to our newsletter on our website for our latest news.
