In times of need, humanity shows its true colors. And in the fight against coronavirus, acts of kindness and generosity are making headlines the world over. As a reprieve from the frankly terrifying news stories that bombard us every day, we bring you a breath of fresh air...
Chemists working at the University of York, UK, have donated all suitable supplies in their possession to local hospitals. Labs from all departments have joined the effort, and their generosity hasn’t gone unnoticed online.
Photo
And York isn’t the only UK university going the extra mile. The Chemistry Department of Imperial College London have also donated all spare chemicals to produce hand sanitizing gel, as well as providing unused personal protective equipment to NHS Trust Hospitals.
See for yourself
Meanwhile, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (ITT Hyderabad) are developing hand sanitizer to protect their students and staff; technicians have created 50 liters at negligible cost in just two days.
Their post
Alan Jarmusch of UC San Diego has issued a call for collaboration between MS experts collecting data from biofluid and human tissue relating to coronaviruses. Any researcher can access the data sharing platform – do you have data to share?
Platform
Tweet
The WHO have launched a Global 2019-nCoV Clinical Data Platform, allowing Member States to contribute anonymized clinical trial data to inform public health responses, as well as publishing interim clinical care guidance for hospitalized patients and mildly ill patients isolating at home.
More info
Researchers are also taking to online platforms to communicate chemical education to the public. From simple lessons as to why soap is such an effective weapon against the virus to graphics demonstrating how viral testing works, the community is uniting to bring the public to our level, and to provide much-needed clarity in these uncertain times.
Want to stay up to date with research into understanding, testing and fighting COVID-19? Subscribe to “The COVID-19 Curator” – your 5-minute window into the science of the outbreak.
Newsletters
Receive the latest analytical science news, personalities, education, and career development – weekly to your inbox.
