COVID-19 Digital Vaccination Certificates and Digital Technologies: Lessons from Digital Contact Tracing Apps

Mbunge, Elliot; Fashoto, Stephen Gbenga; Batani, John

doi:10.2139/ssrn.3805803

Cited by 30 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…However, Zimbabwe faces tremendous challenges and barriers to adopt and use social distancing apps and smart devices due to factors such as limited access to ICTs, limited internet access and poor signal strength [71] , no adequate infrastructural support, poor ICT culture among healthcare professionals and people, digital illiteracy [72] , digital divide, poor electricity supply, high cost of internet data, traditional and insufficient equipment and unskilled manpower [49] and even if present, no ethical framework to guide its use. Owing to the weak health system, socio-economic problems and sustainability of COVID-19 measures, it is therefore imperative to integrate social distancing apps and IoMT devices to monitor, track and trace people in self-isolation and quarantine facilities and their close contacts.…”

Section: Covid-19 Situation Analysis and Social Distancing Tools In Zimbabwementioning

confidence: 99%

Framework for ethical and acceptable use of social distancing tools and smart devices during COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe

Mbunge

Millham

Sibiya

et al. 2021

Sustainable Operations and Computers

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Despite the successful development of vaccines, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to present unprecedented challenges. Besides the ongoing vaccination activities, many countries still rely on measures including social distancing, contact tracing, mandatory face masking among others. Several digital technologies such as smart devices, social distancing tools, smart applications have been adopted to enhance public adherence to reduce secondary transmission. Such technologies use health data, symptoms monitoring, mobility, location and proximity data for contact tracing, self-isolation and quarantine compliance. The use of digital technologies has been debatable and contentious because of the potential violation of ethical values such as security and privacy, data format and management, synchronization, over-tracking, over-surveillance and lack of proper development and implementation guidelines which subsequently impact their efficacy and adoption. Also, the aggressive and mandatory use of large-scale digital technologies is not easy to implement, adhere to and subsequently difficult to practice which ultimately lead to imperfect public compliance. To alleviate these impediments, we analysed the available literature and propose an ethical framework for the use of digital technologies centred on ethical practices. The proposed framework highlights the trade-offs, potential roles and coordination of different stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of digital technologies, from various social and political contexts in Zimbabwe. We suggest that transparency, regular engagement and participation of potential users are likely to boost public trust. However, the potential violation of ethical values, poor communication, hasty implementation of digital technologies will likely undermine public trust, and as such, risk their adoption and efficacy.

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Section: Covid-19 Situation Analysis and Social Distancing Tools In Zimbabwementioning

confidence: 99%

Framework for ethical and acceptable use of social distancing tools and smart devices during COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe

Mbunge

Millham

Sibiya

et al. 2021

Sustainable Operations and Computers

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Despite the importance of ethical values in the context of COVID‐19 digital tools, relative privacy infringements are potentially justifiable to save lives and possibly reduce the spread of the virus. For instance, many countries imposed blanket lockdown to reduce the spread of the pandemic which constraints liberty and privacy on the affected population though it is, however, partially acceptable especially during global health emergencies (Mbunge, Fashoto, & Batani, 2021 ; Parker et al, 2020 ). Therefore, in such situations, trade‐offs should be made to save many lives.…”

Section: Recommendations and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethics for integrating emerging technologies to contain COVID ‐19 in Zimbabwe

Mbunge

Fashoto

Akinnuwesi

et al. 2021

Human Behav and Emerg Tech

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Zimbabwe is among the countries affected with the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) and implemented several infection control and measures such as social distancing, contact tracing, regular temperature checking in strategic entry and exit points, face masking among others. The country also implemented recursive national lockdowns and curfews to reduce the virus transmission rate and its catastrophic impact. These large‐scale measures are not easy to implement, adhere to and subsequently difficult to practice and maintain which lead to imperfect public compliance, especially if there is a significant impact on social and political norms, economy, and psychological wellbeing of the affected population. Also, emerging COVID‐19 variants, porous borders, regular movement of informal traders and sale of fake vaccination certificates continue to threaten impressive progress made towards virus containment. Therefore, several emerging technologies have been adopted to strengthen the health system and health services delivery, improve compliance, adherence and maintain social distancing. These technologies use health data, symptoms monitoring, mobility, location and proximity data for contact tracing, self‐isolation, and quarantine compliance. However, the use of emerging technologies has been debatable and contentious because of the potential violation of ethical values such as security and privacy, data format and management, synchronization, over‐tracking, over‐surveillance and lack of proper development and implementation guidelines which impact their efficacy, adoption and ultimately influence public trust. Therefore, the study proposes ethical framework for using emerging technologies to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic. The framework is centered on ethical practices such as security, privacy, justice, human dignity, autonomy, solidarity, beneficence, and non‐maleficence.

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“…Additionally, the vaccine passports will allow for the opening of economic space and mitigate against social, economic, and mental harm caused by lockdowns. There are ethical considerations for COVID-19 passports that individual governments must take into account when developing policy [ 21 ], but in the interim, visitors to a host nation should produce a vaccine passport as a mitigatory measure against the importation of COVID-19 variants into the country. Although WHO does not currently endorse COVID-19 vaccination or immunity passports, it has, however, initiated a Smart Vaccination Certificate Working Group to establish key specifications and standards for effective and interoperable digital solutions for COVID-19 vaccination [ 22 ].…”

Section: Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital technologies and COVID-19: reconsidering lockdown exit strategies for Africa

Chitungo¹,

Mhango²,

Mbunge³

et al. 2021

Pan Afr Med J

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Widespread vaccination provides a means for countries to lift strict COVID-19 restrictions previously imposed to contain the spread of the disease. However, to date, Africa has secured enough COVID-19 vaccine doses for less than 5% of its population. With widespread vaccination not on the horizon for Africa, there is a strong emphasis on non-pharmaceutical interventions which include movement restrictions (lockdowns). This general COVID-19 pandemic response of imposing lockdowns, however, neglects to factor in non-fatal consequences leading to disruption socio-economic wellbeing of the society at large. The economy in most African countries can no longer sustain lockdown restrictions. Some studies have indicated that a hard lockdown statistical value of the extra lives saved would be dwarfed by its long-term cost. At the same time not responding to the threat of the pandemic will cost lives and disrupts the social fabric. This paper proffers ways to mitigate the both and advocate for better policymaking that addresses specific challenges in defined communities thus yield higher population welfare.

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COVID-19 Digital Vaccination Certificates and Digital Technologies: Lessons from Digital Contact Tracing Apps

Cited by 30 publications

References 35 publications

Framework for ethical and acceptable use of social distancing tools and smart devices during COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe

Framework for ethical and acceptable use of social distancing tools and smart devices during COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe

Ethics for integrating emerging technologies to contain COVID ‐19 in Zimbabwe

Digital technologies and COVID-19: reconsidering lockdown exit strategies for Africa

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