(still very early draft! Please no publicity or reporting on this yet!)
This page tracks the application of blockchain technology to the fight against the virus that causes COVID19.
Known Blockchain Initiatives:
These are initiatives that have been reported on or otherwise announced, though not all will be open to public involvement.
Suggested tags: #digitalidentity #patientrecords #contacttracing #supplychain #datasharing #digitalpassports
| Initiative Name | Tags | Organizations Involved | Description | How to get involved? | Links to Press | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MiPasa | #datasharing | WHO, IBM, Oracle, HACERA | "Big names including IBM, Oracle and the World Health Organization (WHO) are among the collaborators on an open-data hub that will use blockchain technology to check the veracity of data relating to the coronavirus pandemic." | Coindesk, Cointelegraph | March 30, 2020 | |
| COVID-19 Credential Initiative | #digitalidentity | Evernym, Streetcred, Sovrin Foundation (other partners to be named), 40+ individuals from Hyperledger and Sovrin communities | https://www.evernym.com/covid19-creds/ | https://www.evernym.com/covid19/ | Coming shortly | March 30, 2020 |
| Safepaths | #contracttracing | MIT, Riidl, Mila, + many more | Whitepaper - uses DIDs, not clear if it uses (or should) DLT | Form to Join | See project page for press | April 1, 2020 |
| PEPP-PT | #contracttracing | Many European and other organizations | Manifesto | On boarding form and email | April 2, 2020 | |
| Symblock | #digitalidentity #datasharing | Symblock and other CVO Organization | We are offering our enterprise ready Fabric based platform, BlockSecure, to manage Healthcare volunteers and their credentialing. | Reach us covid-19@symblock.com for using our platform or collaboration | www.symblock.com | April 3, 2020 |
| Truu | #digitalidentity #digitalpassports | NHS, Evernym, Sovrin | Truu is modernising the way medical services verify staff identities, qualifications and certifications. Employees will be able to prove who they are instantly, securely and digitally. Truu is the UK’s first Sovrin Steward and a Founding Steward. Truu co-founder/CEO Dr Manreet Nijjar (Manny) is currently on NHS frontline at Barts Health NHS Trust | Contact form | truu.id | April 9, 2020 |
Notes and Slides:
- COVID-19 Rapid Contact Tracing & Isolation – presented in the Identity WG on April 1, 2020
Perspectives and News:
These are articles in the press, or even well written personal essays, on how blockchain technology can or should be applied to the challenges.
- How Blockchain and AI Are Being Used in the Fight Against Covid19, Brennan B., Blockchain Healthcare Review, April 6, 2020
How A Coronavirus ‘Data Vault’ Could Help Re-Open The Economy In Four Weeks, Nishan Degnarain, Forbes, Mar 30 2020
Five Ways Blockchain Can Unblock The Coronavirus Medical Supply Chain, Nishan Degnarain, Forbes, Mar 22 2020
- China: Blockchain Deployment Rises Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, Cointelegraph, Feb 17 2020
These articles are less directly about the application of the tech, and more about what kinds of solutions will be needed:
Germany will issue coronavirus antibody certificates to allow quarantined to re-enter society, The Telegraph, Mar 29 2020
How America Can Reopen, NYTimes, Mar 30 2020
We Can Safely Restart the Economy in June. Here’s How, NYTimes Mar 28 2020
Protecting Civil Liberties During a Public Health Crisis, EFF blog post, Mar 10 2020
620,000 people installed TraceTogether in 3 days, S’pore’s open source contact tracing app, Mothership.sg, Mar 23 2020
TraceTogether: under the hood, Medium, Mar 23 2020
- South Korean Corona Virus public health playbook, gives an idea about the breadth of activities and where technology fits in. Translated by the Covid Translation Project.
Curated list of solutions (many non blockchain ones) here as well.
Funding Opportunities:
Funding/Support from Around the World
- Global
Grant Opportunities Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Updated MAY 21. GrantStation is now offering a filtering service for globally-available COVID-19 virus grants for non-profits and small businesses.
- Canada
- Canadian Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Rapid Research Funding Opportunity. Updated MAY 21. On March 31, 2020, through a contribution from Research Manitoba, Research Nova Scotia, and Alberta Innovates, CIHR was able to fund an additional three grants, bringing the total number of funded grants to 99 and a total investment of $54.2M.
Funding/Support in the US
- Innovation challenges offered through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Emergency Response for the General Public Innovation Challenge. Added MAY 04. The Emergency Response for the General Public Challenge is looking for health technology tools to support the needs of individuals whose lives have been affected by a large-scale health crisis (pandemic, natural disaster, or other public health emergency).
- Emergency Response for the Health Care System Challenge. Added MAY 04. The Emergency Response for the Health Care System Challenge is seeking digital tools that can support the health care system during a large-scale health crisis. Examples include but are not limited to tools that can support providers, government, and public health and community organizations.
- National Cancer Institute (NCI) Funding Opportunities for Small Businesses (SBIRs/STTRs). Updated MAR 27. The NCI participates in the NIH-issued SBIR and an STTR Omnibus grant solicitation for small businesses, which allow small businesses to submit researcher-initiated projects that are within NIH’s mission.
- National Institute of Health (NIH) Funding Opportunities. Updated MAY 14. Urgent Competitive Revision to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Urgent Supplement - Clinical Trial Optional) recently updated through "Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Availability of Administrative Supplements and Revision Supplements on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)."
COVID Help for Families. A match-making service for for those offering help and those seeking help during this pandemic. Help Seekers can post urgent needs for Helpers in their area to see and fulfill. Helpers will be able to see those help requests in their area and offer help. The Helpers can get in touch with the Help Seekers and deliver the help that is requested
- Additional COVID-19 Funding Opportunities
- UC Davis Office of Research. Updated MAY 11. Provides a regularly updated set of links tied to COVID-19 funding opportunities across numerous US agencies, including Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institute of Health (NIH), and the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Gates Foundation
Matchmaking:
Volunteer your services, or describe how your company might help, and we'll do our best to match you with projects needing assistance. How should we do this?