Disruptions Caused in Pakistan by the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Wireless Technology Based Solutions

The novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19 pandemic, since its emergence in 2019, has led to severe disruptions in every field of life. The world has turned its focus toward digital technologies to fight against these socio-economic disruptions. The associated digital technology-based solutions predominantly rely on the advancements in wireless and communication technologies. These wireless technologies help in fighting the global crisis in various ways, including virus-spread monitoring, maximizing healthcare outreach, mitigating the physical barriers through automated visual inspection systems and online video conferencing solutions, and enabling distance and virtual education. However, the problem further intensifies in developing and underdeveloped countries, due to the lack of facilities, increased poverty ratio, and poor socio-economic situation. This paper reports various wireless technological solutions for the COVID-19 pandemic as experienced by one such developing country, Pakistan. The paper highlights the use of wireless technologies in various fields for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, such as e-commerce, education, and the healthcare sector.