COVID Testing White Paper to Analyze Successful Approaches for Keeping Schools Open during a Pandemic

Altru Institute Virus Project announces the development of School Testing White Paper, a collaboration with COVIDCheck Colorado and the SalivaDirect lab.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, July 27, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Altru Institute Virus Project announced the development of School Testing White Paper, a collaboration with COVIDCheck Colorado, and the SalivaDirect lab at Yale’s School of Public Health.

The objective is to capture lessons learned in the past year to prepare for future pandemics. This White Paper will focus on preparations we can make today to ensure we don’t need to close schools when the next pandemic comes.

“With variants still in play, we are not out of the woods, and we could face a resurgence in the full flu season,” said Yale epidemiologist Anne Wyllie, Ph.D., who will be editing the document. “Using the experience of COVIDCheck Colorado, we document what works and the action items when a lethal pathogen is in the air. Our focus will be on practical approaches based on real experience and can serve as a tool and outline for other states.”

The need for such a document is recognized. U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) recently penned an NYT op-ed “There Will Be Another Pandemic — Are We Prepared For It?” calling on Congress to create an independent, 9/11-style commission to assess the U.S. pandemic response and ensure the country is better prepared to confront future public health and economic crises.

“COVIDCheck Colorado quickly implemented school testing systems when the pandemic hit. They were way out front in the testing space and have committed resources to provide their experience to others nationally and around the world for which we are grateful”, said Brett Johnson, CEO of Altru Institute, sponsor of the Invest in Schools Summit.

COVIDCheck Colorado is an initiative of Gary Community Ventures, a Denver-based philanthropy focused on serving low-income families and children in Colorado.

“We are pleased to be working with the Altru Institute’s Virus Project to get the ball rolling and assemble a best practices guide using its experiences to prepare schools for future pandemics,” said Eric Parrie. Chairman of COVIDCheck Colorado.

“I share the view of Senators Menendez and Collins: ‘We should do everything in our power to prevent our country and our communities, small businesses and families from enduring a similar ordeal again because it’s not a matter of if but when another pandemic or public health emergency will strike.“

This is part of an Educational Module that will be maintained at the Virus Project website and will include an Ecosystem Report that provides a resource guide for schools looking to deal with testing issues and will include resources by locality to help aid schools and communities.

Brett Johnson
Altru Institute
+1 646-732-8912
brett@altruinstitute.com
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