There have been over 1.5 million deaths due to COVID-19 to this day. Masks have become mandatory and in-person social interaction has become unnatural. Life as we know it has changed and so has the way we use technology.

In addition to the increased usage of meeting software and social media, there has also been an increase in market opportunity for contactless tools such as facial recognition. After all, these technologies ensure that users minimize contact with germs and viral particles, significantly decreasing the chance of COVID-19 transmission.

In light of this trend, BLOK BioScience has released on-site testing and a digital pass platform that employs the principle of self-sovereignty.

Chris Justice, Blok BioScience President, explained how the technology is being used and its goals in an interview with Healthcare IT News: “We’re working with a number of schools, care homes, event planners and airports to introduce an ethical and secure testing and digital pass solution that will build trust by protecting people’s health and privacy. With entire industries struggling, this trust is so important if we are to keep our society open safely.”

What is Blok BioScience’s New Technology?

This new tool involves two major parts: the front-end and the back-end. The front-end includes the BLOK Pass app for individuals and the BLOK Verify app for businesses.

BLOK Pass is used to perform a quick check of a person’s COVID-19 status by scanning their phone. With consent from the user, it keeps an updated record of test results and health data. The app also provides the user with the latest HR and official guidance for necessary health precautions.

BLOK Verify is used to update the person’s place of employment with the information gained from the scan. The app authenticates all of the information passed in from the user, confirming their identity and validating any exam results. The app ensures that any employees working are in good health.

The back-end of the system allows organizations to set their entry requirements based on COVID-19 test results, travel history, symptom tracking and a plethora of other available metrics.

Putting these two parts together, the system automatically confirms the person’s health status by testing the results of the scan against the pre-selected criteria. The results are marked with green (fit), amber (required to take action), and red (no access allowed) signals.

The system also includes an open API Gateway, allowing integration with third-party systems that a company is using, which includes travel applications and HR platforms.

Why This Release Is Important

At the end of May, England and Scotland put in place a testing and tracing system that involved hiring 25,000 people. The program involved the hired individuals manually reaching out to individuals who tested positive for the virus. With only 18% of the people with COVID-19 symptoms self-isolating, programs like this one are becoming essential to public health safety.

However, the government initiated system is inefficient in comparison to Blok BioScience’s solution. By using technology to bring together user information and health requirements, Blok Bioscience is making the COVID-19 screening process quicker and easier.

As the world moves forward, finding a safe way to resume life with the existence of COVID-19 will be crucial. Consequently, technologies like Blok BioScience’s pass system are helping to shape the progress toward normalcy.

ABOUT THE WRITER

Sarah Raza is a Tech Innovation Fellow with a background in computer science from Stanford. She is passionate about exploring the implications of increased usage of artificial intelligence and machine learning.