Imagine implementing an early warning system to pre-empt future pandemics named SENTINEL.
> This was the inspiration for Sentinel: a multi-pronged pandemic preemption system that will use cutting-edge diagnostics and sequencing technologies, data analysis and visualization tools, and consumer-centered mobile applications to respond to emerging pathogens in real-time.
> From these experiences, we understood that the system you would put in place for pandemic preemption is the same that you would integrate for response and recovery. In understanding our current pandemic, we must build tools that can directly curb the next pandemic.
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The main issue I see with such a program is that it is only put into place in the medical field such as clinics or hospitals. Assuming that this would cover most sick people, it wouldn't cover those who think the symptoms are nothing to worry about.
Thus I suggest to take it one step further and take home monitoring also into account. Whereas sewage waste pathogen tracking is a known method just as well as big data via Google search, they lack the ability to be specific. We would have to create a technology that is not invasive, promotes our health, and gives back to the community.
Probably best would be a nose swab or spit analyser, though both of these methods are fairly invasive. That's why I suggest to monitor toothbrushes. (The science would still have to be done if the data measured from such a device is enough to be an acceptable data point.)
The device would be fairly simple. All you would have to do is place your toothbrush into the device. It would analyse the pathogens on the bristles, send the data to the collection center, and then disinfect the bristles with ultraviolet light.
We know that it is advisable to replace your toothbrush after each illness you have tackled. Thus this suggests that some of the pathogens still could be found on the hairs.
Remarks:
- The data that is being sent has to anonymized otherwise scientific bias will creep up fairly quickly.
- Anonymized data should not take effect on location data other than making it less specific. Like instead of being 2m exact being 100m exact. Maybe even more depending on the human movement flow charts of the area.
- This tech could also be installed into other facilities like hotels to see if anyone brought a new pathogen to the region. It can be questioned if it then makes sense to bind the device to the guest to prevent the guest of becoming a super spreader.
- The device partially infringes on the right to be forgotten, though if implemented correctly initially, this should not be an issue.
References:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-78704-5
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-10-31
https://www.educationnext.org/google-search-data-reveals-about-learning-pandemic/
https://sfamjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jam.14112
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4399776/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1601-5037.2009.00384.x
#science #technology #futuretech #pandemic #thoughtexperiment
