COVID-19 Contact Tracing Using BLE and RFID for Data Protection and Integrity

Abstract

Responding to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus, the need for contact tracing and self-isolation has become the focus of many health experts and governments as being the primary option for containing the spread of the disease. The utilization of the smartphone has been the focus of many efforts by creating mobile applications that harness the potential of GPS and BLE technologies to make contact tracing as efficient and effective as possible. The prevailing issue with this system is the concern of privacy and data protection of app users. In order to address this problem, through this paper, we are suggesting the use of passive RFID technology similar to that of most public transit systems. This system contains a client-held RFID card and a receiver, and a server that processes the data. Through this paper, we hope to present an alternative, less invasive system that will help governments and health officials prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their communities.