Contact tracing is an essential element of the control of dangerous epidemic outbreaks. It intends to stop disease transfer and has played a role in combating the COVID-19 outbreak in several regions [45]. It is necessary to calculate the cross ponding physical contact of any case during its’ incubation period. This can lead to a lower extent of spread that is caused by COVID-19 [36], according to the researchers in [3], the incubation of SARS-CoV-2(COVID-19) for starting the symptoms would take almost 5.5 days, and as described in previous sections, not all infected people got appearing symptoms [3].

In response to the surprising outbreak of COVID-19, many authorities have presented noticeable trends to mobile contact tracing apps to assist the hard mission of tracking every contact of recently recognized infected people [46]. The social interaction can be determined using contact tracing. It aims to decrease the spread of COVID-19 by taking the initiative which includes giving the individuals the analysis of the virus extent. The analysis is followed by instructions that can be diagnosed, advised, and quarantined in real danger where it is needed. Smartphones and IoT can make this application more effective. Although the users’ privacy policy will be violated, the authorities and the healthcare fields adopted the contact-tracing application [36]. The data that are collected will have high accuracy and reliability if the blockchain is used in high frequency [36]. It gives real-time data for the affected areas. However, the safe zones or free-virus zones are monitored and reported by blockchain [35,46,47]. Blockchain technology integrates with other technologies to collect data, such as geographical information systems (GIS) and AI [35,46].

Two systems implement the contact tracing: the mass surveillance system and the P2P-mobile application [37,47]. The mass surveillance system depends on e-Governments and IoT devices within the streets of smart cities. In contrast, the P2P-Mobile application uses services to send the surveillance system and the blockchain network the collected data; it can show users the probability of getting infected by COVID-19 [48].

Sharing the patient data, treatment methods that were used, prevention methods that were used by doctors and healthcare personnel, and so on are important data that must be shared among healthcare collaborators. These data play a fundamental role in COVID-19 research as shared data from health organizations and hospitals can discover new treatment methods that help reduce the number of deaths. Therefore, international bodies and organizations use HIPAA controls to maintain the data’s confidentiality, especially patient information [3]. However, there are obstacles in implementing the data-sharing system more broadly.

Blockchain features such as decentralization and transparency can be used to improve the healthcare system. It can take advantage of decentralization to increase the security and privacy of patient data, increase data control, and get rid of traditional medical records, which can be stored data in a blockchain-based system, making sharing data between health organizations and hospitals much easier and faster. The transparency feature can also be used to prevent data fraud and protect patients’ privacy from abuse or misuse [3].

Immunizer, serology, or antibody tests are the tests that determine if someone has gained immunity to the virus (e.g., COVID-19) upon complete healing from the infection. The immunity (vaccination) certification records the viruses or diseases that he/she have been protected or vaccinated against. The certificate helps limit and restrain the scope of COVID-19 by letting the officials and authorities form plans by supporting cross-border transportation from one place to another for those who hold this certification [49]. Accordingly, the certificate’s fraud security, robust privacy means, and cost-effectiveness are the governments’ fundamental responsibilities to reduce frauds relative to traveling. Employing blockchain-based vaccine certification and immunity testing implements an adequate and reliable data administration policy that is straightforward to manage, non-vulnerable, and cost-effective [5].

Blockchain manipulates asymmetric encryption and decryption patterns [50], as well as uses digital signatures to preserve both tests and certificates. Additionally, the decentralization characteristic confirms the security of such data against malicious attacks or a single point of failure by enhancing users’ confidence by maintaining information authenticity and protection.

The above-mentioned certifications can be confirmed in a reliable, advanced manner, and secure the secrecy of the user information. For example, at resuming marketplaces after the COVID- 19 crisis, many businesses can promote and adopt the policies to allow only those workers to turn to work who hold a legitimate electronic vaccination license (immunity passport) to get back to work. Here, blockchain deployment guarantees that only “COVID-19 clear case” employees could resume working in the company. The essential traceability and transparency hallmarks of blockchain support building the data origin of the COVID-19 lab outcomes. It can also considerably help the businesses check the PCR testing kits’ validity for the COVID-19 examination. It generates an immunity passport for the user to register it on the ledger.

The ongoing pandemic is causing massive damage to the supply chain worldwide as factories have been unable to deal with this shutdown due to the new measures, such as physical contact and social distancing. Therefore, the ban has been applied to importing and exporting the global supply chain [3]. According to [51], “94% of Fortune 1000 companies are seeing supply chain disruptions from COVID-19”, “75% of companies have had negative or strongly negative impacts on their businesses”, and “55% of companies plan to downgrade their growth outlooks”. Medical and pharmaceutical supply chains are hard to find because of the high demand [3]. Furthermore, the supply chains of household needs have also had a high surge in demand [3].

One of the best options to consider managing the supply chain is blockchain. First, it can connect all of the stakeholders through one decentralized universal network, and by its’ property transparency, it securely shows the data of the silos. As mentioned in [36], many blockchain networks in the supply chain management field were mentioned. As mentioned in the previous sections, blockchain technology in any field or application provides quick data handling, reduces processing time, and has a lower risk in its operations. One example that was applied in China is the VeChain platform, assuring the credibility and reliability of masks that were imported from China. It checks codes, materials, packages, and all associated tasks [35,51].

Since many schools and universities have closed in different countries due to the quarantine, this does not mean stopping, or having an intermission in, the education process. Education is irreplaceable and making it an online operation is a challenge itself. Moreover, there are some associated challenges such as poor cross-platform collaboration and difficulty verifying students’ credentials (degree, transcripts, and other certificates) [3].

Blockchain-based online education platforms can mitigate these challenges [3]. Decentralized blockchain-based storage can provide access to authorized users while keeping the data of others secure [3]. As known as a blockchain, it gives secure issuance and sharing of verifiable educational credentials where one of the issuing authorities of an institute uploads a credential to a blockchain-based system [4]. One of the best examples is that the MOODLE platform, a global blockchain-based network, offers the mentioned advantages [3].

The Corona pandemic, lockdown, and quarantines have caused the suspension of many businesses and services in the governmental institution’s sector. This has prompted many governments that do not primarily depend on information and communications technology (ICT) to facilitate their services to switch and use the concept of electrical Government, also known as e-Government, to digitize all of their services [3]. These services can be public utilities (water, gas, electricity, sanitation, etc.), tax collection, salary payment, etc. [3].

Blockchain gives high efficiency to the e-Governments systems by decreasing the delays and reducing the service operations costs. In addition, it gives access to the automation feature with blockchain and the shared databases [3]. If any counterfeiting endeavor happens, it will automatically be detected. When it comes to security, blockchain has a lot of ameliorating for data confidentiality and consistency. Data integrity and immutability are some of the benefits that are provided to e-Governments involving blockchain technology [3].