COVID-19 Roundup from Pioneer: potential drugs to stem COVID; remote learning guidance; drive-through COVID testing & more!
Pioneer staff share their top picks for today’s COVID-19 stories highlighting useful resources, best practices, and questions we should be asking our public and private sector leaders. We hope you are staying safe, and we welcome your thoughts; you can always reach out to us via email: pioneer@pioneerinstitute.org.
Our Picks for Public & Private Sector Best Practices:
Mary Z. Connaughton, Director of Government Transparency: Here’s a hopeful story from WBUR – Drive-through COVID-19 test site pilot program at CVS in Shrewsbury – now that is service! (For now the site is “invite only” for first responders and health care workers.)
Lauren Corvese, Annual Fund Director: Great story on Massachusetts’ biotech and life sciences industry playing a key global role in addressing the crisis.
William Smith, Visiting Fellow in Life Sciences: A very informative interview with former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb, about potential drugs to stem the pandemic, the likely course of the pandemic and the likely challenges for the drug supply chain. Also, with record speed, the biopharmaceutical industry is putting into clinical trials anti-virals, vaccines and other possible treatments for COVID-19. During this challenging time, we should be grateful that the United States possesses such a robust life sciences industry.
Jamie Gass, PioneerEducation Director, passes along a terrific webinar recording by Success Academies providing specific guidance on how to effectively implement remote learning. And Jamie offers his own suggestions for taking advantage of this opportunity to nurture a love for classic literature and historical figures in your children while they’re home.
Barbara Anthony, Senior Fellow in Healthcare: Kudos to the cashiers and baggers at Star Market in Porter Square who wear gloves. Not all supermarket employees do wear protective gloves while handling all food brought to the cashier belt, which puts us all in danger.
Josh Archambault, Senior Fellow in Healthcare: NH’s Governor just issued emergency orders lifting restrictions on telehealth. Governor Baker is taking similar steps here in Massachusetts for in-network providers, and is allowing telehealth across state lines, but just for students. Read Josh’s Forbes op-ed on telehealth.
Our Questions About COVID-19 Responses So Far:
Barbara Anthony: Why are some stores running special promotions to sell out of needed goods more quickly and encourage unnecessary hoarding? #Irresponsible.
Good Questions Seen on Twitter:
Jon Hurst, President, Retailers Association of Massachusetts: Why isn’t business interruption coverage – which insurers told us #smallbiz all needed – covering losses from this crisis?
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