View source for Software:Software for COVID-19 pandemic mitigation

{{Short description|Computer program projects to halt the spread of the respiratory disease}}

'''Software for COVID-19 pandemic mitigation''' takes many forms. It includes [[Mobile app|mobile app]]s for contact tracing and [[Engineering:Push technology|notifications]] about infection risks, [[Biology:Vaccine passports during the COVID-19 pandemic|vaccine passports]], software for enabling – or improving the effectiveness of – [[Social:Lockdown|lockdown]]s and [[Medicine:Social distancing|social distancing]], Web software for the creation of related information services, and research and development software. A common issue is that few apps interoperate, reducing their effectiveness.

== Contact tracing ==
[[File:Cwa home android.png|thumb|150px|A contact tracing app]]
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=== Design ===
[[Design]] decisions relate to issues such as privacy, data-storage and security. Apps are generally not interoperable.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Faragher |first1=Ramsey |title=We Are Losing Sight Of What Contact Tracing Apps Are For |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ramseyfaragher/2020/06/16/we-are-losing-sight-of-what-contact-tracing-apps-are-for/ |website=Forbes |access-date=8 April 2021 |language=en |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410123755/https://www.forbes.com/sites/ramseyfaragher/2020/06/16/we-are-losing-sight-of-what-contact-tracing-apps-are-for/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ranisch |first1=Robert |last2=Nijsingh |first2=Niels |last3=Ballantyne |first3=Angela |last4=van Bergen |first4=Anne |last5=Buyx |first5=Alena |last6=Friedrich |first6=Orsolya |last7=Hendl |first7=Tereza |last8=Marckmann |first8=Georg |last9=Munthe |first9=Christian |last10=Wild |first10=Verina |title=Digital contact tracing and exposure notification: ethical guidance for trustworthy pandemic management |journal=Ethics and Information Technology |date=21 October 2020 |volume=23 |issue=3 |pages=285–294 |doi=10.1007/s10676-020-09566-8 |pmid=33106749 |pmc=7577205 |language=en |issn=1572-8439|doi-access=free }}</ref>

=== Use ===
Voluntary use by the public was ineffective.<ref>{{cite web |work=Deutsche Welle |title=Too few Germans using coronavirus pandemic tracing app {{!}} DW {{!}} 17.09.2020 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/too-few-germans-using-coronavirus-pandemic-tracing-app/a-54970227 |access-date=8 April 2021 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410123754/https://www.dw.com/en/too-few-germans-using-coronavirus-pandemic-tracing-app/a-54970227 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="seattletimes"/><ref>{{cite web |title=96% of Canadians who test positive for coronavirus aren't using COVID Alert app properly |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7697781/covid-alert-app-data-effectivness/ |website=Global News |access-date=8 April 2021 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410123755/https://globalnews.ca/news/7697781/covid-alert-app-data-effectivness/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A lack of features and bugs further reduced usefulness.<ref>{{cite web |title=Corona-Warn-App 2.0: Check-in per QR-Code startet nach Ostern |url=https://t3n.de/news/corona-warn-app-20-check-in-qr-code-1367664/ |website=t3n Magazin |access-date=8 April 2021 |language=de |archive-date=7 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210407234356/https://t3n.de/news/corona-warn-app-20-check-in-qr-code-1367664/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 

Some apps include "check-ins" that enable exposure notifications when entering public venues such as fitness centres.<ref>{{cite web |title=Update der Corona-Warn-App: Anonym einchecken per QR-Code |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/corona-warn-app-check-in-101.html |website=tagesschau.de |access-date=8 April 2021 |language=de |archive-date=8 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408003554/https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/corona-warn-app-check-in-101.html |url-status=live }}</ref> One such example is the We-Care project that used anonymity and crowdsourced information about which check-ins are essential, to alert exposed users.<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 21, 2020|title=Coronavirus tracing apps prevalent outside the US, fail to gain foothold stateside|url=https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-tracing-apps-prevalent-outside-the-us-fail-to-gain-foothold-stateside/509-225174c3-40d9-4f64-b556-c3c2c3eab50c|access-date=2021-11-01|website=cbs8.com|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022193157/https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-tracing-apps-prevalent-outside-the-us-fail-to-gain-foothold-stateside/509-225174c3-40d9-4f64-b556-c3c2c3eab50c|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-27|title=UC Davis Computer Scientists Launch App To Help Slow Spread Of COVID-19|url=https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2020/05/27/uc-davis-app-covid-19-contact-tracing/|access-date=2021-11-01|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022191004/https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2020/05/27/uc-davis-app-covid-19-contact-tracing/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=States Ramp Up Contact Tracing Amidst Privacy Concerns - State Net|url=https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/products/state-net/news/2020/05/28/States-Ramp-Up-Contact-Tracing-Amidst-Privacy-Concerns.page|access-date=2021-11-01|website=www.lexisnexis.com|archive-date=2021-11-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108184938/https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/products/state-net/news/2020/05/28/States-Ramp-Up-Contact-Tracing-Amidst-Privacy-Concerns.page|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Digital vaccination certificates ==
Digital vaccine passports and vaccination certificates use software for verifying vaccination status.<ref name="seattletimes">{{cite news |title=Vaccine passport apps are here. But the technical challenges are still coming. |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/vaccine-passport-apps-are-here-without-a-common-standard-tech-challenges-are-myriad/ |access-date=8 April 2021 |work=The Seattle Times |archive-date=9 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409164002/https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/vaccine-passport-apps-are-here-without-a-common-standard-tech-challenges-are-myriad/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Such certificates were used to regulate access to events, buildings and services such as airplanes, concert venues and health clubs<ref name="seattletimes"/> and travel across borders.<ref name="guard1"/>

=== Hurdles ===
Given the uneven distribution of vaccines across jurisdictions, granting privileges based on vaccination status certification means that those with easier vaccine access have unfair access to those privileges.<ref name="vaccpass">{{cite news |title=Government calls for input into Covid-19 vaccine passports |language=en |work=ComputerWeekly.com |url=https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252497916/Government-calls-for-input-into-Covid-19-vaccine-passports |url-status=live |access-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410103817/https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252497916/Government-calls-for-input-into-Covid-19-vaccine-passports |archive-date=10 April 2021}}</ref> If vaccination status is only verifiable using digital technology, those without that technology may also lose access even if they are vaccinated. Such privileging mechanisms may exacerbate inequality,<ref name="forbes1">{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Joshua |title=Covid-19 Vaccine Passports Could Exacerbate Global Inequities |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2021/03/04/vaccine-passports-could-exacerbate-global-inequities/ |access-date=11 April 2021 |work=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=11 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411122737/https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2021/03/04/vaccine-passports-could-exacerbate-global-inequities/ |url-status=live }}</ref> increase risks of deliberate infections or transmission,<ref name="guard1">{{cite news |title=Covid-status certificates could lead to deliberate infections, scientists warn |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/11/covid-status-certificates-could-lead-to-deliberate-infections-scientists-warn |access-date=11 April 2021 |work=The Guardian |date=11 April 2021 |language=en |archive-date=11 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411162344/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/11/covid-status-certificates-could-lead-to-deliberate-infections-scientists-warn |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nyt2">{{cite news |last1=Yeginsu |first1=Ceylan |title=What Are the Roadblocks to a 'Vaccine Passport'? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/14/travel/covid-vaccine-passport-excelsior-pass.html |access-date=16 April 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=14 April 2021 |archive-date=16 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416005433/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/14/travel/covid-vaccine-passport-excelsior-pass.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Public health justifications for restricting behavior based on vaccine status have become less frequent over the course of the pandemic as vaccines do not stop transmission.

=== Design ===
Some teams are developing interoperable solutions, but this is not common.<ref name="seattletimes"/><ref name="wpfaq">{{cite news |last1=Lerman |first1=Rachel |title=Vaccine passport apps are here. But the technical challenges are still coming. |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/04/02/vaccine-passports-apps-faq/ |url-status=live |access-date=11 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309200901/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/04/02/vaccine-passports-apps-faq/ |archive-date=9 March 2022}}</ref> Governments express concerns over [[Social:Data sovereignty|data sovereignty]].<ref name="wired">{{cite magazine |title=Covid-19 Vaccine Passports Are Coming. What Will That Mean? |url=https://www.wired.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-passports-are-coming-what-will-that-mean/ |url-status=live |magazine=Wired |language=en-us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411065453/https://www.wired.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-passports-are-coming-what-will-that-mean/ |archive-date=11 April 2021 |access-date=11 April 2021}}</ref> 

[[Organization:World Health Organization|WHO]] established a "working group focused on establishing standards for a common architecture for a digital smart vaccination certificate to support vaccine(s) against COVID-19 and other immunizations".<ref name="forbes1"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Smart Vaccination Certificate Working Group |url=https://www.who.int/groups/smart-vaccination-certificate-working-group |website=www.who.int |access-date=11 April 2021 |language=en |archive-date=8 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408230408/https://www.who.int/groups/smart-vaccination-certificate-working-group |url-status=live }}</ref>

The COVID-19 Credentials Initiative hosted by [[Organization:Linux Foundation|Linux Foundation Public Health]] (LFPH) is a global initiative working to develop and deploy privacy-preserving, tamper-evident and verifiable credential certification projects based on the open standard Verifiable Credentials (VCs).<ref>{{cite web |title=COVID-19 Credentials initiative : Home |url=https://www.covidcreds.org/ |website=www.covidcreds.org |access-date=8 April 2021 |archive-date=9 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409002421/https://www.covidcreds.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=February 8 |first1=R. Dallon Adams in Innovation on |title=Open source "vaccine passports:" Linux Foundation Public Health talks development, security, and digitally restoring trust |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/open-source-vaccine-passports-linux-foundation-public-health-talks-development-security-and-digitally-restoring/ |website=TechRepublic |date=8 February 2021 |access-date=8 April 2021 |language=en |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410123755/https://www.techrepublic.com/article/open-source-vaccine-passports-linux-foundation-public-health-talks-development-security-and-digitally-restoring/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nyt2"/>

Laurin Weissinger argued that it is important for such software to be fully free and open source, to clarify concepts and designs, to have it tested by security experts and to describe data that is collected and how it is used to build trust.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vaccination passport apps could help society reopen—if they are secure, private and trusted |url=https://phys.org/news/2021-03-vaccination-passport-apps-society-reopenif.html |website=phys.org |access-date=8 April 2021 |language=en |archive-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309200851/https://phys.org/news/2021-03-vaccination-passport-apps-society-reopenif.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Jenny Wanger contended that it is essential for such software to be open source.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mzezewa |first1=Tariro |title=Coming Soon: The 'Vaccine Passport' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/travel/coronavirus-vaccine-passports.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=8 April 2021 |date=4 February 2021 |archive-date=8 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408132433/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/travel/coronavirus-vaccine-passports.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Jay Stanley affirmed this notion and warned that an "architecture that is not good for transparency, privacy, or user control" could set a "bad standard" for future credentialing systems.<ref name="aclu">{{cite news |last1=Elassar |first1=Alaa |title=ACLU warns 'a lot can go wrong' with digital vaccine passports |work=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/03/us/vaccine-passports-aclu-coronavirus/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210405170811/https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/03/us/vaccine-passports-aclu-coronavirus/index.html |archive-date=5 April 2021}}</ref>{{Split section|date=June 2021}}
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== Websites ==
Web dashboards<ref>{{cite web |title=NASA COVID-19 Dashboards Give a View of the Virus's Effects from Above {{!}} NASA Applied Sciences |url=https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/our-impact/story/nasa-covid-19-dashboards-give-view-viruss-effects-above |website=appliedsciences.nasa.gov |access-date=8 April 2021 |language=en |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410123755/https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/our-impact/story/nasa-covid-19-dashboards-give-view-viruss-effects-above |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="fsf">{{cite web |title=An introduction to GNU Health Embedded — Free Software Foundation — Working together for free software |url=https://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2020/spring/gnu-health-embedded |website=www.fsf.org |access-date=8 April 2021 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410123759/https://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2020/spring/gnu-health-embedded |url-status=live }}</ref> are widely used for tracking the status of the pandemic. 
{{Scholia|Q82069695}}The Wikimedia project Scholia provides a graphical interface around data in [[Wikidata]] – such as literature about a specific coronavirus protein – to help with research, research-analysis,  data interoperability, applications, updates, and data-mining.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Waagmeester |first1=Andra |last2=Willighagen |first2=Egon L. |last3=Su |first3=Andrew I. |last4=Kutmon |first4=Martina |last5=Gayo |first5=Jose Emilio Labra |last6=Fernández-Álvarez |first6=Daniel |last7=Groom |first7=Quentin |last8=Schaap |first8=Peter J. |last9=Verhagen |first9=Lisa M. |last10=Koehorst |first10=Jasper J. |title=A protocol for adding knowledge to Wikidata, a case report |journal=bioRxiv |date=4 June 2020 |pages=2020.04.05.026336 |doi=10.1101/2020.04.05.026336 |s2cid=215731495 |url=https://europepmc.org/article/PPR/PPR141188 |access-date=10 April 2021 |archive-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309200848/https://europepmc.org/article/PPR/PPR141188 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Waagmeester |first1=Andra |last2=Willighagen |first2=Egon L. |last3=Su |first3=Andrew I. |last4=Kutmon |first4=Martina |last5=Gayo |first5=Jose Emilio Labra |last6=Fernández-Álvarez |first6=Daniel |last7=Groom |first7=Quentin |last8=Schaap |first8=Peter J. |last9=Verhagen |first9=Lisa M. |last10=Koehorst |first10=Jasper J. |title=A protocol for adding knowledge to Wikidata: aligning resources on human coronaviruses |journal=BMC Biology |date=22 January 2021 |volume=19 |issue=12 |page=12 |doi=10.1186/s12915-020-00940-y|pmid=33482803 |pmc=7820539 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

A group of online archivists used [[Open access|open access]] PHP- and Linux-based shadow library [[Software:Sci-Hub|Sci-Hub]] to create an archive of over 5000 articles about [[Biology:Coronavirus|coronavirus]]es. Making the archive openly accessible is currently illegal.<ref name="Bender 2020">{{cite web | last=Bender | first=Maddie | title='It's a Moral Imperative:' Archivists Made a Directory of 5,000 Coronavirus Studies to Bypass Paywalls | website=Vice | date=2020-02-03 | url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/z3b3v5/archivists-are-bypassing-paywalls-to-share-studies-about-coronaviruses | access-date=2020-02-27 | archive-date=2020-02-04 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204162829/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/z3b3v5/archivists-are-bypassing-paywalls-to-share-studies-about-coronaviruses | url-status=live }}</ref> Sci-Hub provides free full access for most scientific pandemic publications. 
Multiple scientific publishers created open access portals, including the Cambridge University Press,<ref name="CUP_1">{{cite web| title=Coronavirus Free Access Collection| url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/browse-subjects/medicine/coronavirus-free-access-collection| publisher=Cambridge University Press| date=2020| access-date=27 September 2021| archive-date=2 August 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802122847/https://www.cambridge.org/core/browse-subjects/medicine/coronavirus-free-access-collection| url-status=live}}</ref> the Europe branch of the [[Organization:Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition|Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition]],<ref name="SPARC_1">{{cite web| title=The Coronavirus and Open Science: Our reads and Open use cases| url=https://sparceurope.org/coronaopensciencereadsandusecases| publisher=[[Organization:Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition|Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition]] Europe| date=March 2020| access-date=27 September 2021| archive-date=3 August 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803112939/https://sparceurope.org/coronaopensciencereadsandusecases/| url-status=live}}</ref> ''The Lancet'',<ref name="TL_1">{{cite web| title=The Lancet COVID-19 Resource Centre| url=https://www.thelancet.com/coronavirus| publisher=[[Company:Elsevier|Elsevier]] Inc.| date=April 2020| access-date=27 September 2021| archive-date=23 February 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223104640/https://www.thelancet.com/coronavirus| url-status=live}}</ref> John Wiley and Sons,<ref name="Wil_1">{{cite web| title=Covid-19: Novel Coronavirus Outbreak| url=https://novel-coronavirus.onlinelibrary.wiley.com| publisher=[[Company:John Wiley & Sons|John Wiley & Sons]], Inc.| date=March 2020| access-date=27 September 2021| archive-date=24 September 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924195411/https://novel-coronavirus.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/| url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Company:Springer Nature|Springer Nature]].<ref name="Spri_1">{{cite web| title=SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19| url=https://www.springernature.com/gp/researchers/campaigns/coronavirus| publisher=[[Company:Springer Nature|Springer Nature]]| date=2020| access-date=27 September 2021| archive-date=2 August 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802034626/https://www.springernature.com/gp/researchers/campaigns/coronavirus| url-status=live}}</ref>
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== Medical software ==
=== GNU Health ===
[[File:GNU Health patient main screen.png|thumb|300px|GNU Health patient main screen as of 2013]]
The open source, Qt-<ref>{{cite web |title=MyGNUHealth PHR: A technical introduction |url=https://www.gnuhealthcon.org/2020-online/presentations/MyGNUHealth%20-%20GHCon2020.pdf |access-date=2021-04-10 |archive-date=2021-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410163722/https://www.gnuhealthcon.org/2020-online/presentations/MyGNUHealth%20-%20GHCon2020.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=PIM / MyGNUHealth |url=https://invent.kde.org/pim/mygnuhealth/ |website=GitLab |access-date=10 April 2021 |language=en |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410163722/https://invent.kde.org/pim/mygnuhealth/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and GTK-based [[Software:GNU Health|GNU Health]] offer a variety of default features for use during pandemics.<ref name="fsf"/> It allows parties to pool efforts on a single, integrated program – instead of individual, programs for specific purposes. Existing features include a way for making clinical information available and update it in any health institution via a globally unique "Person Universal ID". It includes lab test templates and functionalities, digital signing and encryption.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Falcón |first1=Luis |title=Tackling the beast: Using GNU Health to help the fight against the {{!}} Joinup |url=https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/collection/ehealth/news/tackling-beast-using-gnu-health-help-fight-against |website=joinup.ec.europa.eu |access-date=8 April 2021 |language=en |date=9 April 2020 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410123756/https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/collection/ehealth/news/tackling-beast-using-gnu-health-help-fight-against |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Vaccination management===
Software helps manage vaccine distribution, including verifying the [[Physics:Cold chain|cold chain]], and to record vaccination events.<ref>{{cite news |title=COVID-19 vaccine rollout may be delayed - with IT system 'failing constantly' |url=https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-may-be-delayed-with-it-system-failing-constantly-12164829 |access-date=9 April 2021 |work=Sky News |language=en |archive-date=13 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413005157/https://news.sky.com/story/COVID-19-vaccine-rollout-may-be-delayed-with-it-system-failing-constantly-12164829 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Screening ===
In China, Web-technologies were used to direct individuals to appropriate resources. Infrared thermal cameras are used to detect individuals with fever.<ref name="digi">{{cite journal |last1=Whitelaw |first1=Sera |last2=Mamas |first2=Mamas A. |last3=Topol |first3=Eric |last4=Spall |first4=Harriette G. C. Van |title=Applications of digital technology in COVID-19 pandemic planning and response |journal=The Lancet Digital Health |date=1 August 2020 |volume=2 |issue=8 |pages=e435–e440 |doi=10.1016/S2589-7500(20)30142-4 |pmid=32835201 |pmc=7324092 |language=English |issn=2589-7500|doi-access=free }}</ref> Machine learning has been used for diagnosis and risk prediction.<ref name="digi"/>

=== Quarantining ===
Electronic monitoring has been used to manage quarantine adherence.Furthermore, various software designs may threaten civil liberties and infringe on privacy.<ref name="digi"/> China informs individuals about whether and how long they must quarantine via a phone app and informs authorities about their compliance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Helen-Ann |title=The 'green code' app: How China's Zero COVID policy is turning cities, parks, restaurants and shops into digitised fortresses |url=https://news.sky.com/story/the-green-code-app-how-chinas-zero-covid-policy-is-turning-cities-parks-restaurants-and-shops-into-digitised-fortresses-12724231 |access-date=2022-11-12 |website=Sky News |language=en}}</ref>

=== Genomic data ===
[[File:052120 EG covid-mutation inline1 desktop 680.png|thumb|300px|SARS-CoV-2 mutations graph clades on Nextstrain]]
[[Organization:Nextstrain|Nextstrain]] is an open source platform for pathogen genomic data such as about [[Biology:Viral evolution|viral evolution]] and was used for research about novel variants.

=== Vaccine production ===
Software has been used in [[Internet leak|leaks]] and industrial espionage of vaccine-related data.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stubbs |first1=Jack |title=Hackers steal Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine data in Europe, companies say |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ema-cyber-idUKKBN28J2Q7 |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=Reuters |date=10 December 2020 |language=en |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410163715/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ema-cyber-idUKKBN28J2Q7 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Machine learning]] has been applied to improve vaccine manufacturing productivity.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Service |first1=Robert F. |title=AI invents new 'recipes' for potential COVID-19 drugs |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/ai-invents-new-recipes-potential-covid-19-drugs |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=Science {{!}} AAAS |date=7 August 2020 |language=en |archive-date=20 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420111926/https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/08/ai-invents-new-recipes-potential-covid-19-drugs |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Modelling ===
Software models and simulations for SARS-CoV-2, including spread,<ref name="uchicago1"/> functional mechanisms and properties,<ref>{{cite news |title=UChicago chemists race to decode RNA of new coronavirus |url=https://news.uchicago.edu/story/uchicago-chemists-race-decode-rna-new-coronavirus |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=University of Chicago News |language=en |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410103817/https://news.uchicago.edu/story/uchicago-chemists-race-decode-rna-new-coronavirus |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nasacomp"/><ref name="uchicago1"/> efficacy of potential treatments,<ref name="nasacomp"/><ref name="uchicago1"/> transmission risks, vaccination modelling/monitoring, ([[Computational fluid dynamics|computational fluid dynamics]], [[Computational epidemiology|computational epidemiology]], [[Biology:Computational biology|computational biology]]/computational systems biology were developed by governments, universities, and companies.

Modelling software and related software is also used to evaluate impacts on the environment and the economy.

==== Distributed computing ====
[[File:Folding@home Fedora25.png|thumb|250px|The folding@home client]]
The [[Volunteer computing|volunteer]] [[Distributed computing|distributed computing]] project [[Medicine:Folding@home|Folding@home]] simulates [[Biology:Protein folding|protein folding]]. It was used for medical research. In March 2020 it became the world's first [[Exascale computing|system to reach one exaFLOPS]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Folding@Home Crushes Exascale Barrier, Now Faster Than Dozens of Supercomputers - ExtremeTech |work=www.extremetech.com |url=https://www.extremetech.com/computing/308332-foldinghome-crushes-exascale-barrier-now-faster-than-dozens-of-supercomputers |url-status=live |access-date=13 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417012422/https://www.extremetech.com/computing/308332-foldinghome-crushes-exascale-barrier-now-faster-than-dozens-of-supercomputers |archive-date=17 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=31 March 2020 |title=Folding@home crowdsourced computing project passes 1 million downloads amid coronavirus research |work=VentureBeat |url=https://venturebeat.com/2020/03/30/foldinghome-crowdsourced-computing-project-passes-1-million-downloads-amid-coronavirus-research/ |url-status=live |access-date=13 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417125217/https://venturebeat.com/2020/03/30/foldinghome-crowdsourced-computing-project-passes-1-million-downloads-amid-coronavirus-research/ |archive-date=17 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=14 April 2020 |title=The coronavirus pandemic turned Folding@Home into an exaFLOP supercomputer |language=en-us |work=Ars Technica |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/04/how-the-pandemic-revived-a-distributed-computing-project-and-made-history/ |url-status=live |access-date=13 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423221216/https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/04/how-the-pandemic-revived-a-distributed-computing-project-and-made-history/ |archive-date=23 April 2020}}</ref> and reached approximately 2.43 x86 exaFLOPS by 13 April 2020{{snd}} many times faster than Summit, the fastest [[Supercomputer|supercomputer]] of that time.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tung |first1=Liam |title=CERN throws 10,000 CPU cores at Folding@home coronavirus simulation project |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/cern-throws-10000-cpu-cores-at-foldinghome-coronavirus-simulation-project/ |access-date=13 May 2020 |work=ZDNet |language=en |archive-date=1 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101044348/https://www.zdnet.com/article/cern-throws-10000-cpu-cores-at-foldinghome-coronavirus-simulation-project/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

That month [[Rosetta@home]] joined the effort. Researchers announced that Rosetta@home allowed them to "accurately predict the atomic-scale structure of an important coronavirus protein weeks before it could be measured in the lab."<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-03-24|title=Rosetta@home Rallies a Legion of Computers Against the Coronavirus|url=https://www.hpcwire.com/2020/03/24/rosettahome-rallies-a-legion-of-computers-against-the-coronavirus/|access-date=2021-09-27|website=HPCwire|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-04-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409200450/https://www.hpcwire.com/2020/03/24/rosettahome-rallies-a-legion-of-computers-against-the-coronavirus/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 2020, the OpenPandemics—COVID-19 partnership was launched between Scripps Research and IBM's [[World Community Grid]]. The partnership is a distributed computing project that "will automatically run a simulated experiment in the background [of connected home PCs] that will help predict the efficacy of a particular chemical compound as a potential treatment for [[Medicine:COVID-19|COVID-19]]."<ref name=WCG_1>{{cite web| title=OpenPandemics - COVID-19| url=https://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/research/opn1/overview.do| publisher=IBM| date=2020| access-date=September 27, 2021| archive-date=August 17, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817041601/https://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/research/opn1/overview.do| url-status=live}}</ref> 

==== Drug repurposing research and drug development ====
 {{Main|COVID-19 drug repurposing research|COVID Moonshot|COVID-19 drug development#Computer-assisted research}}
Supercomputers – including Summit and [[Fugaku (supercomputer)|Fugaku]] – have been used to explore potential treatments by running simulations with data on already-approved medications.<ref>{{cite news |title=San Diego supercomputer uncovers several potential COVID-19 treatments |url=https://www.10news.com/news/coronavirus/san-diego-supercomputer-uncovers-several-potential-covid-19-treatments |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=KGTV |date=6 January 2021 |language=en |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410103818/https://www.10news.com/news/coronavirus/san-diego-supercomputer-uncovers-several-potential-covid-19-treatments |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Japanese supercomputer finds 30 existing drugs potentially effective to treat COVID-19 |url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200704/p2a/00m/0na/010000c |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=Mainichi Daily News |date=4 July 2020 |language=en |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410103816/https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200704/p2a/00m/0na/010000c |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=World's fastest supercomputer finds 77 potential COVID-19 treatments |url=https://futurism.com/neoscope/fastest-supercomputer-finds-potential-covid-treatments |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=Futurism |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410103817/https://futurism.com/neoscope/fastest-supercomputer-finds-potential-covid-treatments |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="uchicago1">{{cite news |title=Supercomputers, giant accelerators lend a hand in the fight against coronavirus |url=https://news.uchicago.edu/story/supercomputers-giant-accelerators-lend-hand-fight-against-coronavirus |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=University of Chicago News |language=en |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410103817/https://news.uchicago.edu/story/supercomputers-giant-accelerators-lend-hand-fight-against-coronavirus |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nasacomp">{{cite news |last1=Gray |first1=Ellen |title=NASA Supercomputers Power COVID-19 Research |url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/esd/2020/nasa-supercomputers-power-covid-19-research |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=NASA |date=28 May 2020 |archive-date=15 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415175219/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/esd/2020/nasa-supercomputers-power-covid-19-research/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Two early examples of supercomputer consortia are:
* The United States Department of Energy, [[Organization:National Science Foundation|National Science Foundation]], [[Organization:NASA|NASA]], industry, and nine universities pooled resources to access supercomputers from [[Company:IBM|IBM]], combined with cloud computing resources from [[Company:Hewlett Packard Enterprise|Hewlett Packard Enterprise]], [[Company:Amazon|Amazon]], [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]], and [[Company:Google|Google]], for drug discovery.<ref name="Summit">{{cite news|date=23 March 2020|title=Sixteen supercomputers tackle coronavirus cures in the US|work=CNET|publisher=ViacomCBS|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/sixteen-supercomputers-tackle-coronavirus-cures-in-us/|access-date=18 June 2021|vauthors=Shankland S|archive-date=20 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920070800/https://www.cnet.com/news/sixteen-supercomputers-tackle-coronavirus-cures-in-us/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="C-19HPCC">{{cite web|date=2020|title=The COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium|url=https://covid19-hpc-consortium.org/|access-date=18 June 2021|publisher=The COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium|archive-date=23 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923003850/https://covid19-hpc-consortium.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> The COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium attempted to forecast disease spread, model vaccines, and screen thousands of chemical compounds.<ref name="Summit" /><ref name="C-19HPCC" /> The Consortium had used 437 peta[[FLOPS]] of computing power by May 2020.<ref name="Wiggers">{{cite news |last1=Wiggers |first1=Kyle |title=COVID-19 HPC Consortium pours 437 petaflops of compute power toward virus research |url=https://venturebeat.com/2020/05/28/covid-19-hpc-consortium-pours-437-petaflops-of-compute-power-toward-virus-research/ |access-date=1 April 2022|work=VentureBeat |date=28 May 2020}}</ref>
* The C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute, an additional consortium of Microsoft, six universities (including MIT), and the National Center for Supercomputer Applications in Illinois, working under the auspices of artificial intelligence software company C3.ai pooled supercomputer resources toward drug discovery, medical protocol development and public health strategy improvement, as well as awarding grants for similar purposes.<ref name="C3NewsRelease">{{cite web|date=2020-03-26|title=C3.ai, Microsoft, and Leading Universities Launch C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute|url=https://c3.ai/c3-ai-microsoft-and-leading-universities-launch-c3-ai-digital-transformation-institute/|access-date=18 June 2021|website=C3.ai|archive-date=2020-08-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814095922/https://c3.ai/c3-ai-microsoft-and-leading-universities-launch-c3-ai-digital-transformation-institute/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="NYTBroad">{{cite news|date=26 March 2020|title=A.I. Versus the Coronavirus|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/science/ai-versus-the-coronavirus.html|access-date=18 June 2021|vauthors=Broad W|archive-date=31 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831083614/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/science/ai-versus-the-coronavirus.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Timeline of computing 2020–2029]]
* [[Social:Pandemic prevention#Surveillance and mapping|Pandemic prevention]]
* COVID-19 surveillance
* [[Social:Teamwork|Teamwork]]
** [[Software:Open-source software development|Open-source software development]]
** [[Citizen science]]
* [[Information management]]
** COVID-19 pandemic#Information dissemination
* [[Open-source ventilator]]
* [[Biology:Bioinformatics|Bioinformatics]]
* Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on science and technology#Computing and machine learning research and citizen science
* Public health mitigation of COVID-19#Information technology
* [[Finance:Technology policy|Technology policy]]

{{COVID-19 pandemic}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{cite journal |title=Information technology in emergency management of COVID-19 outbreak |journal=Informatics in Medicine Unlocked |date=1 January 2020 |volume=21 |pages=100475 |doi=10.1016/j.imu.2020.100475 |language=en |issn=2352-9148|doi-access=free |last1=Asadzadeh |first1=Afsoon |last2=Pakkhoo |first2=Saba |last3=Saeidabad |first3=Mahsa Mirzaei |last4=Khezri |first4=Hero |last5=Ferdousi |first5=Reza |pmid=33204821 |pmc=7661942 }}, a scientific review for an overview of how IT applications could be used during the COVID-19 [[Medicine:Disease outbreak|outbreak]] and [[Finance:Pandemic|pandemic]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:COVID-19 pandemic mitigation software use and development}}

[[Category:Emergency management software]]

{{Sourceattribution|Software for COVID-19 pandemic mitigation}}