IMPACT OF IT IN BUSINESS AT THE TIME OF COVIT-19 SITUATION

In the pandemic situation of covid-19 every business is recession over the world similarly IT
business also. But IT business is going better to other business.

Over the past couple of decades, the world has become enamoured with the transformative
power of technology, and the belief that it can be the panacea for all human challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended this narrative, however. In spite of all the hype, digital
technology could not prevent nor control the spread of the coronavirus. Instead, sound policy
interventions, accessible healthcare, devoted professionals and good common sense are what
have flattened curves. The technology that controlled the infection wasn’t a fancy contact
tracing app, but instead the simple face mask.

The tech scene has been buzzing for a few years about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a
supposed technological transformation characterised by big data, artificial intelligence and
automation.

But the last thing the world needs is another 'revolution' that ignores the external cost to
society of our unchecked obsession with economic growth at all cost. Technology won’t solve
the climate crisis, prevent the recurring wildfires in the US, heal social divides or resolve social
inequality. Only a concerted effort to reset our economic systems and a willingness to make
hard choices about priorities will do that.

• The Fourth Industrial Revolution can't be a panacea for the problems

caused by our obsession with unchecked economic growth.

• We need instead a concerted effort to reset our economic systems and

make some hard choices about our future paths.

• An approach I call 'insured resilience' could be the answer we need. Here's

a guide.
SOURCE:WWW.WORLDECONOMICFORUM.COM/weforum.org/agenda/2020/09/insured-resilience-priority-heres-why/

If we zoom in to all the changes the world has gone through since the outbreak in early 2020, a sort of
pattern emerges. Technology, it turns out, is at the center of the transformation from industries to
lifestyles. As such, remote working technologies helped businesses work from home and social media
networks kept us connected. More importantly, innovations in health-tech such as infrared
thermometers and UV disinfection helped us identify and care for patients in a better and more
efficient way. It goes without saying, then, that the impact of the pandemic would be exponentially
higher than what it currently is in the absence of technology. On that note, here’s looking at some major
ways in which technology is changing lives in the COVID-19 era.

Contact tracing and transparency

Informing the public with reliable data around the number of cases, recovery, and fatality rates in crucial
during a pandemic. It is even more important when fake news is doing the rounds and instilling fear in
individuals in a situation that is quite grim, to begin with. In such a scenario, governments can use
individual data to carry out contact tracing – or making sure that anyone who came in contact with an
infected individual is identified and given proper care – to break the chain of the virus. In India, the
Aarogya Setu app is being used for exactly this purpose. Using data collection and analysis, the app can
essentially calculate the number of cases in particular geography and encourage social distancing and
similar measures in high-risk areas.

Remote working
The COVID-19 pandemic witnessed what may be the largest collective shift to remote working in all of
history. In the interest of social distancing, business across sectors switched to the work from home
setup and this transition was hinged entirely on technology. For instance, remote working is enabled
and made possible in a secure way with VPNs, cloud networks, and VoIP technology. Further, video
conferencing tools, business collaboration software, and such information and communication
technology (ICT) solutions were used to facilitate a smooth transition. Further, state-of-the-art laptops
and high-speed wireless internet have bolstered work from home and made it not just a possibility but
perhaps and long-term solution that can save time and money for organizations.

Online entertainment
How many of us have spent the past few months streaming everything from movies to TV series to
music? Truth be told, the lockdown period would have been excruciating without online entertainment
avenues that have only elevated themselves in terms of quality and options over the past few years.
Online gaming has also saved many individuals and families from hours of boredom every day. Again, we
have top-quality laptops, 4G and 5G networks, and, of course, the myriad OTT platforms to thank for
this.

Supply chains and contactless deliveries

Digital technologies have helped overcome the massive disruptions in global supply chains during the
pandemic. E-commerce businesses, and even local stores that embraced the online selling model, have
thrived through the crisis on the back of technologies such as IoT, Big Data and AI/ML that help predict
the demand of particular products and allow businesses to stock up accordingly.

Furthermore, it is digital technology that allows organizations to enable contactless deliveries and
payments to promote social distancing and contain the virus. From medication to groceries, we ordered
everything online during the lockdown, and technology made it possible.

Distance Learning
As of mid-April, 191 countries announced or implemented school or university closures, impacting 1.57
billion students. Many educational institutions started offering courses online to ensure education was
not disrupted by quarantine measures. Technologies involved in distant learning are similar to those for
remote work and also include virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D printing, and artificial-intelligence-
enabled robot teachers.

While there are some challenges regarding distance learning – socioeconomic differences that affect
digital readiness, increase pressure on working parents, etc., - the creation of affordable technological
solutions and data connections can help families overcome these challenges. Easy to use laptops and
other devices can help students learn independently without added pressure on their parents.

Telehealth
Telehealth can be an effective way to contain the spread of COVID-19 while still providing essential
primary care. Wearable personal IoT devices can track vital signs. Chatbots can make initial diagnoses
based on symptoms identified by patients. However, in countries where medical costs are high, it's
important to ensure telehealth will be covered by insurance. Telehealth also requires a certain level of
tech literacy to operate, as well as a good internet connection.

As people find their comfort zones in the new normal, many changes that the world has undergone
during this time will never be reversed regardless of the pandemic. Online shopping, OTT entertainment,
online gaming, remote working may all see steady growth even beyond the pandemic. With technology
in the driver’s seat, it is safe to say that humanity is in for an exciting ride.

Source;http://www.businessworld.in/article/Tech-That-How-The-Human-Race-Is-Tackling-The-COVID-19-Pandemic-Using-
Technology/27-09-2020-325201/