At Seedsprint, we’re always on the lookout for new Covid-19-fighting technologies. In the past, we’ve written about how scientists, engineers, and innovators shifted their focus to solving pressing global health issues over the past year due to the pandemic. Just last week, we posted about one of our member startups, Nanolayr (formerly Revolution Fibres). Nanolayr makes nanofibers that are used in protective face masks and other applications. The company recently invested in a new testing machine to test their nanofibers. Pretty cool!

The Covid-19 Task Force and The Commons Project

Last week, Betaworks Studios in New York City hosted the Covid-19 Technology Task Force and The Commons Project for a virtual event called “Using Technology to Prove Covid-19 Test & Vaccination Status.” We had the opportunity to hear Andrew McLaughlin, co-chair of the Covid-19 Tech Task Force, lead a conversation with Paul Meyer, JP Pollak, and Brad Perkins of The Commons Project. 

As vaccine rollouts continue around the world, the next major hurdle is validating Covid-19 testing and vaccination status. Read on to learn more about the latest tech helping us track, manage, and protect against the disease.

Tracking Covid-19 testing and vaccination status

The Commons Project was founded as a non-profit organization in 2019. The project’s mission is to build global-scale digital infrastructure between tech companies, governments, and non-profits. The project initially began by developing the Android equivalent of Apple Health. Most recently, however, the organization has been working on digital vaccine passports. 

The Commons Project’s CommonPass empowers individuals to share their health information. Its Smart Card technology utilizes the SMART on FHIR API to securely access information from healthcare providers. As electronic health records become increasingly important in our healthcare system, this type of technology is in high demand. In the near future, it may help individuals resume air travel, cross borders, and attend sporting events and entertainment venues.  

Most recently, CommonHealth partnered with health insurance providers like Cigna and airlines like JetBlue and Lufthansa. These companies recognize the value of seamlessly accessing customer’s health information.  

Covid-19 and electronic health records

Are you a startup looking to innovate within the electronic health record space? You may be interested in the open-source SMART Health Cards Framework and specifications, which were developed by the Vaccination Credential Initiative.

Around the world, innovative, tech-driven solutions are helping to curb the pandemic and guide safe reopening protocols. Check out our past post on 9 startups on SeedSprint focused on applying their technology to combating the COVID-19 pandemic to learn more about this topic. We also recommend our post on how the pandemic has changed the tech transfer landscape. Stay tuned for more innovative solutions to stopping the spread of Covid-19 and preventing future pandemics.