Good day,
Here is list of reasons to be calmly diligent and yet optimistic
about the global crisis as the human family comes together in time of need…please
share widely.
Full article here and below:
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/another-roundup-of-positive-updates-on-covid-outbreaks/
1) World
Health Organization (WHO) Officials Say There Are Now 20 Coronavirus Vaccines
in Development.
Although there are still a number of logistical and
financial hurdles that will need to be overcome in the race to deliver a
COVID-19 vaccine to the public, WHO representatives say they are working with
scientists around the world to test and develop 20 different vaccines.
“The acceleration of this process is really truly dramatic
in terms of what we’re able to do, building on work that started with SARS,
that started with MERS and now is being used for COVID-19 ,” Dr. Maria Van
Kerkhove, the technical lead for WHO’s emergencies program, said at a press
conference in Geneva last week, according to CNBC.
The collective body of research is particularly “remarkable”
since the vaccines are in development just 60 days after a number of
international scientists decoded the virus’s genetic sequence and shared it
with the rest of the world.
One of the vaccines—which is already being tested on a number of American volunteers in
Seattle—has already illustrated the “unprecedented speed” with which the
medical community is working together to develop a vaccine.
2) From
Individuals to Countries and World Governments–Everybody is Sharing Face Masks
Multiple businesses
and schools have donated their recently rediscovered face mask
treasure troves to hospitals in need. Other major tech companies such as Facebook and Apple are donating millions of masks and medical supplies
to US healthcare facilities. Chinese companies are
passing on their own stashes of face masks to European countries newly
impacted by the virus. Taiwan is reportedly donating 100,000 masks to the United States.
3) As
American Cities Close Up Amidst Outbreaks, Pollution Plummets
The United States is now benefiting from the same
environmental silver lining to the pandemics as China and Italy: as cities
encourage self-isolation, air pollution is plummeting.
Over the course of the last few weeks, satellite imaging has
revealed significant reductions in air pollution—particularly across
California, Seattle, and New York City.
According to CNN, environmental scientists are estimating that the
improvement in air quality could collectively save as many as 75,000 people
from dying prematurely.
4) As
Physicians Worry About Potential Ventilator Shortages, Researchers Develop
Several Low-Cost Solutions
In a stroke of genius, one scientist from the University of
Minnesota says he went “full-on MacGyver” to build a makeshift ventilator in a matter of hours. Although
his team has revised his design over the course of several prototypes with the
hopes of eventually submitting it for FDA approval, he says that the inexpensive ventilator is one that he “would
be comfortable with someone [using to] take care of me in an ICU or in an
operating room.”
The compassionate medical research continues in Italy as a
pair of engineers have taken it upon themselves to 3D-print free respirator
parts for their local hospitals. As of last week, the Isinnova startup
engineers told Forbes that they had successfully printed more
than 100 parts.
“We are releasing this material with the intent to provide
those with the ability to make or manufacture ventilators, the tools needed to
do so in a manner that seeks to ensure patient safety,” they wrote. “Clinicians
viewing this site can provide input and expertise and report on their efforts
to help their patients.”
5)
Communities and Countries Opening Up New Lanes of Free Entertainment for the
Masses
As a means of keeping self-isolated people amused during
global shutdowns, many online services have made their services free to the
public as well.
For starters, Amazon has unlocked more than 40 new children’s shows for all of their
customers to watch for free, regardless of Prime membership. Audiobook platform
Audible has also released a number of free audiobooks for users to stream from
their devices.
“For as long as schools are closed, we’re open. Starting
today, kids everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of
stories, including titles across six different languages, that will help them
continue dreaming, learning, and just being kids,” reads the Audible
website. “All stories are free to stream on your desktop, laptop, phone or
tablet. Explore the collection, select a title and start listening. It’s that
easy.”
More than 2,500 art museums and galleries have also
partnered with Google to offer free
virtual tours and displays of their collections to art lovers around the
world.
6) More
Than 100,000 People Have Already Recovered From the Virus Worldwide
As Chinese cities gradually
reopen to the public now that they have gotten the virus under control with
less than 10 new infections reported each day, other countries are expected to
experience similar recoveries during the coming months.
7) Nobel
Prize Winner Who Correctly Predicted COVID-19 Trends Says ‘We’re Going To Be
Fine’
According to a recently-published interview with the Los Angeles Times, Nobel laureate and Stanford
biophysicist Michael Levitt has been “remarkably accurate” in predicting
China’s recovery from the virus since he began researching the infection rates
back in January.
Levitt, who won the 2013 prize for developing complex
chemical models of calculation, says that as long as countries continue to
practice safe self-isolation measures, the numbers show that they are already
beginning to experience slow signs of improvement.
8)
Celebrities and Businesses Have Contributed Millions Towards Feeding and Caring
for At-Risk People
It’s hard to quantify just how many resources are being
contributed to the cause, but suffice it to say that it’s a lot—in fact, here’s
just a quick list of celebrities giving back to their communities that we
published last week.
9) No
Matter Where You Look, People Are Being Kind to Each Other
There are even more stories of
kindness and compassion being reported from around the world every day—so
remember to keep your chin up during the weeks ahead and remind yourself that
this situation might not be as terrible as your social media feed might have
you believe.
Have a great, safe day!
All the best,
Joseph Giove and the Common Passion Core Team
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