From life-saving machines to a simple phone, technology has been incredible. It’s kept us connected when the world had practically stopped and given us hope in life-saving technology.

Meeting in person wasn’t an option and video call platforms took centre stage, in the professional world as well as our personal lives with those dreaded family quizzes! 

At the height of the pandemic, Zoom reported that they had 300 million people using the app. People are still using Zoom for everything from business meetings to meeting babies for the first time. Zoom is not the only online video platform we are using- we have turned to teams, google meet, slack, and many more. All of which are doing a fantastic job of keeping us connected until we can physically meet again.

Video meets were not the only piece of tech that kept us going in lockdown(1,2 &3). For lots of us, the only visitor we had to the house was an Amazon Delivery Driver, random Amazon parcels that we may or may not have forgotten we had ordered. Amid these deliveries, many companies were using contactless delivery options. Amazon and numerous other eCommerce companies trialled the use of drones to deliver online orders as quickly as possible as well as some picking in warehouses being done by robots. In the world of fast food, Domino’s have been the chain to deliver via drones- technology has come very far, very fast.

RFID tags have been around for some years now, first being used in 1973 for the U.S Government. Yet RFIDs have changed uses over the years and are now being used in the battle against COVID-19. Microchips are embedded in the RFID tags and can track and authenticate vaccines, test kits, medical equipment and PPE from manufacturing to destination. The technology has widespread use in medicine, with its ability to track and transfer data in real-time helping maintain visibility in a rapidly changing global pandemic. The pandemic is changing daily and with this fast speed data, we can adapt quicker than ever.

Dr Rhys Thomas of Glangwili Hospital in Wales devised a 'simple and robust' basic ventilator designed to help patients breathe- which also kills COVID-19. He said that ‘It won't replace an ICU ventilator but the majority of patients won't need intensive care if they are treated using this first.' This ventilator purifies the air making the area a safe space for nurses. So the nurses can treat patients without putting themselves at risk. Frontline staff have deservedly received ongoing praise for their relentless efforts, and to know people are going the extra mile to keep them safe is outstanding.

In Lincolnshire, the digital and technology industry is understood to be growing vastly year on year. Lincolnshire is largely known for our Agri-food Sector but these industries themselves are using some of the latest technologies to speed up processes. The Agri-food sector in Lincolnshire kept the food supply moving in the pandemic and produced one-eighth of England's food, ensuring supply was of good quality in the shops.

COVID-19 continues to be a trying time for us all with many uncertainties but the digital and tech industry continues to power through. Without many of the world's finest technologies, this pandemic would have been much harder for many reasons. Technology has kept us alive, connected, and continues to wow with the innovative ways of developing with the next 12 months promises to be nothing less.