IoT Technologies for Tackling COVID-19 in Malaysia and Worldwide: Challenges, Recommendations, and Proposed Framework

Abstract

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is considered as a global public health challenge. To contain this pandemic, different measures are being taken globally. The Internet of Things (IoT) has been represented as one of the most important schemes that has been considered to fight the spread of COVID-19 in the world, practically Malaysia. In fact, there are many sectors in Malaysia would be transformed into smart services by using IoT technologies, particularly energy, transportation, healthcare sectors. This manuscript presents a comprehensive review of the IoT technologies that are being used currently in Malaysia to accelerate the measures against COVID-19. These IoT technologies including smart thermal detection, surveillance network, and healthcare delivery technologies. In addition, the most potential IoT technologies developed by other nations to tackle COVID-19 are reviewed, including tracking and tracing systems based on IoT, adoption of IoT technologies in hospitals, and self-monitoring devices based on IoT. For these technologies to be incorporated in Malaysia, the main challenges with possible recommendations are discussed in this manuscript. Finally, this work proposes a conceptual framework to accelerate the battle pace with spread of COVID-19 in Malaysia by integrating IoT technologies used in fighting the outbreak of COVID-19 globally.