In the fight against Covid-19, we need every weapon at our disposal. As the pandemic has spread around the globe, it has put healthcare systems under enormous pressure and caused numerous changes to our basic way of life. In order to rise to the very significant challenges that this disease poses, we need to have the right technology on our side.

Below, we have listed just 3 of the most important healthcare technologies that have emerged to help us fight Covid-19. Without these technologies on our side, this battle would be even more difficult.

3D Printing

As a technology, 3D printing is just starting to come into its own. 3D printers have been around for a few years now and they have been accessible to consumers with the money to buy their own unit. As with any technology, you get what you pay for and the cheapest 3D printers are also the least capable. However, even an entry-level 3D printer is now a worthwhile investment for anyone with a use for one.

It is a testament to the sophistication of 3D printers today that businesses like Coronavirus Makers have emerged from enthusiasts using their own personal machines in creative ways. Coronavirus Makers has released 3D designs for masks, components for mechanical ventilators, and modifications to snorkeling masks that enable them to be used with ventilators. Their work has enabled healthcare institutions around the world to access the equipment and components that they need to treat patients for a fraction of what it would otherwise cost them.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is one of the most important technologies for modern healthcare. Telemedicine encompasses a range of individual technologies that are enabling healthcare professionals to render their services remotely. Every part of the diagnostic process from identifying and diagnosing an issue to delivering treatment for it can now be completed without the patient ever having to leave their homes. Of course, there are limits to what telemedicine can accomplish, but it has proven to be incredibly important for enabling access to healthcare for people who would normally find it difficult.

Telemedicine has gained even more importance during Covid-19 because it enables the remote diagnosing of the disease without the need to expose healthcare workers. An in-person test is needed to confirm the diagnosis, but telemedicine allows hospitals to screen patients beforehand and ensure that only those who need to attend the hospital do so.

Since the beginning of the year, telemedicine businesses like Amwell, which provides a range of telemedicine services through its apps an online portal, have noticed a significant uptick in adoption. This is a trend that has been repeated across the industry, reflecting people being more hesitant about attending healthcare facilities in the midst of the outbreak.

Personal Protective Equipment

Since the Covid-19 pandemic first took hold, there has been a race to scoop up precious PPE equipment. Both healthcare personnel and regular people have been looking for masks and other equipment to keep them safe from the virus and to reduce their chances of spreading it to other people.

For example, the FELIX100 PAPR respirator system from American Papr is designed to keep healthcare workers safe while they are in close proximity to Covid-19 patients. Prior to the pandemic, even advanced healthcare systems rarely had a need for this level of protection so businesses have had to step up rapidly in order to provide respirators for frontline healthcare staff.

Technology has always been an integral part of healthcare. Without the right technology on our side, we are powerless against many diseases. The technology companies we have referenced above are just some of the many businesses that are now making a real difference in our fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.