Purpose: This paper aims to address the role of Internet of Things (IoT) in preventing COVID-19. The IoT devices can be used in various ways to track the patients and suspected person. Remote data collection can be done with the help of IoT and sensors. Later, the data can be analyzed with the help of data science engineers and researchers to predict and prevent the COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach: IoT is a creative mean of amalgamating clinical gadgets and their applications to associate with the human services and data innovation frameworks. An investigation on the conceivable outcomes of defying progressive COVID-19 pandemic by implementing the IoT approach while offering treatment to all classes of patient without any partiality in poor and rich. The information sharing, report checking, patient tracking, data social affair, investigation, cleanliness clinical consideration and so forth are the different cloud-based administrations of IoT. It can totally change the working format of the medical services while rewarding the huge volume of patients with a predominant degree of care and more fulfilment, particularly during this pandemic of COVID-19 lockdown. Health workers can quickly focus on patient zero and identify everyone who has come into contact with the infected person and move these people to quarantine/isolation. As COVID-19 has emerged from the Wuhan province of China, IoT tools such as geographic information system could be used as an effective tool to curb the spread of pandemics by acting as an early warning system. Scanners at airports across the world could be used to monitor temperature and other symptoms. This paper addresses the role of IoT in preventing COVID-19. Findings: In the period of continuous pandemic of COVID-19, IoT offers many propelled cloud-based administrations and offices to serve a greater number of patients effectively. The remote medicinal services framework provides a lot of significance in such a crucial time of lockdown. The powerful interconnected arrangement of gadgets, applications, Web, database and so on encourages the consumers to benefit the administrations in smart way. IoT additionally advances its administrations by building up the quality culture of perceptive medicinal services or portable centre. It is a “distinct advantage innovation,” which may totally change the practices universally. Indeed, even its quality administrations in this extreme time make this methodology progressively productive and beneficial. IoT helps in observing and tracking more recognized people and patients in remote areas for their human service prerequisites. The customary medicinal services are probably going to observe a huge change in perspective sooner rather than later, as the computerized revolution would place cutting-edge innovation and its associated items in the possession of the patients and give both patients and doctors in remote areas better access to quality clinical services. Originality/value: The contemporary exploration study focuses on the proposed IoT system for the treatment of patients in this progressing COVID-19. The working principle of IoT approach incorporates the mix of human services apparatuses, clinical treatment framework, Web organize, programming and administrations. IoT framework empowers the information assortment, report observing, understanding database, testing pictures and investigation and so forth. Data has been collected through online mode; in this study, the authors adopted empirical research design. Total 150 (118/150 = 78.66% respondent response ratio) online questionnaires were sent in the Chennai city of Tamilnadu, India. The participated nature of work is clinical examination in critical care division. © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.