Omogah, F. O. (2020). The Embryonic COVID-19 Themed Cyber Threats, a Looming Tragedy to already Vulnerable Global Electronic Healthcare Systems (GEHCS). Health Systems and Policy Research Journal

Abstract

COVID-19 which is also referred to as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome SARS-CoV-2 is different from its counterpart SARS-CoV-1 which came but dissipated spontaneously between the years 2016/17. Consequently, its vaccine was never worked on. Comparing the two again it’s believed that SARS-CoV-1 was more aggressive and toxic while SARS-CoV-2 spreads faster and sometimes with hidden symptoms. Meanwhile COVID-19 is “a game changer” compared to CoV-I because it is instigating massive health havocs and deaths causing fear, confusion and quagmire of stagnation even to the global super power economies with highly developed healthcare systems e.g. Italy, USA and Spain among others. As a result, on the 11th of March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new Corona Virus disease COVID-19 outbreak; a world’s pandemic during this pandemic, healthcare industry as a critical sector is rapidly becoming a target for exploitation by cyber attackers. Usually health facilities are extremely very sensitive to cyber-attacks because any disruption in health intervention services or even inappropriate handling of patient’s personal information can have far-reaching consequences. As waned by Control Risks’ Cyber Security Experts through alerts, there have emerged arrays of cyber threats related to COVID-19 pandemic from January 2020, with attack incidences targeting human traffic due to anxieties in Wuhan (China). With a shift in work modalities to very little face-to-face interactions. “COVID-19 has turned remote working into the norm for organizations around the world” say Control Risk experts. Many institutions have resorted to purely online business interactions which are always soft spot for Cybercrime incidences. As it’s gradually uncaring itself in the African soil, COVID-19’s gravitational impact on human suffering might deepen with unknown consequences of healthcare delivery outcomes if online attackers targets to exploit Hospitals’ electronic healthcare systems. With squid focus, we are likely to lose the game to Cyber crooks, giving more opportunities to COVID-19’s adverse health Impacts to human race.