A Scoping Review on the Application of Blockchain During COVID-19 Pandemic: focusing on digital vaccination certificate

Abstract

This study involves a scoping review to look into the specific attributes of blockchain and to examine various cases where digital vaccination certificates have been implemented or proposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. After applying the eligibility criteria, 54 studies were deemed suitable for full-text review. Among these, 20 studies met the inclusion criteria for this scoping review. Studies in the form of journals were the most common and most studies were published in the 'Technology' category. The highest number of cases are found in Asia followed by Europe. The most common type and platform is public blockchain and Ethereum. Most of the studies utilize smart contracts. The included studies presented a summary of the blockchain technologies utilized in the proposed solutions. This study summarized the potential benefits and limitations of blockchain technology in digital vaccine certificates in response to COVID-19. Despite blockchain's benefits like decentralization and transparency, limitations in scalability, cost-effectiveness, and ethical considerations have hindered its widespread adoption. The study highlights the need for further research to address these challenges and suggests exploring the integration of other technologies and policies with blockchain. The aim is to provide a foundation for future research on the effective use of digital vaccine certificates in crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.