Key Highlights:
- WHO signs a contract with T-systems to build software for COVID verification certificates.
- T-systems believes health will be a strategic growth area.
- The global death toll due to COVID might reach the 6 million mark.
The ongoing invasion of Russia on Ukraine might have distracted us from the pandemic but the threat remains real. Pandemic is still a big concern for several countries around the world. Due to this, WHO (World Health Organization) has signed a contract with T-systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, to build a software solution for the global e-verification of COVID vaccination certificates.
The software developed will be QR code-based which can be used for other vaccinations as well like yellow fever or polio. The following was confirmed from T-Systems and also said that WHO will be supporting 194 member states in building national and regional verification technology.
T-System tech against COVID
T-System has been effectively contributing to the fight against COVID. It has previously worked with SAP to develop Germany’s Corona-Warn-App tracing and verification app. T-System also developed a Europe-wide digital COVID-19 vaccine verification system.
The CEO of T-Systems, Adel Al-Saleh states, “Health is a strategic growth area for T-Systems.”
What has happened in the last 24-hours?
The COVID-19 cases may have decreased in most of the countries but the WHO is still actively tracking several sublineages of COVID variant Omicron. The WHO’s infectious diseases expert, Maria Van Kerkhove commented, “I would like to reiterate that Omicron is a variant of concern and we are tracking Omicron in several sublineages. The most prominent ones that are detected worldwide are BA.1, BA.1.1, and BA.2. There’s also BA.3 and other sublineages as well.”
- The global death toll from COVID-19 will cross the 6 million mark, currently, it stands at 5,997,994 (6th March 2022).
- War-torn civilians from Ukraine seek shelter in Poland, Hungary, Romania, and other Eastern European countries, where the death toll remains high.
- Hong Kong has reported 31,008 new cases and the health experts have estimated that 7.4 million residents are already infected.
- Belgium will be lifting all COVID-related restrictions including the mandatory mask rule and vaccination certificates.
