COVID-19: Let us not forget hopeful news, part five
I took a week hiatus from writing LUNFHN (again with the totally awkward acronym), because honestly, it takes me a long period of time to find what I need to find and then to write it and link it. But there is no dearth of hopeful news. Just a dearth of writing. So, for your visceral, emotional, and intellectual pleasure, here is my fifth installment of hopeful news around COVID-19.
Treatments, Vaccines, and All…That…Jaaaaazz.
- There is a stem cell treatment developed in Abu Dhabi that was tested on 73 patients and they ALL recovered. The Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Centre developed the treatment and said if the results continue to hold up it could be a "game changer." My original source was the London Mirror but, thank god, I found it in several Abu Dhabi based news sources and Arab news bureaus and press so I am willing to vouch for the reality of the story.
- Looking forward to Winter? The llama, not the season. Apparently, there is some promise in llama antibodies for staving off COVID-19, as they were able to stave off SARS and MERS. The research supports that. Here's a paragraph from the NY Times on this: "Winter was simply the lucky llama chosen by researchers in Belgium, where she lives, to participate in a series of virus studies involving both SARS and MERS. Finding that her antibodies staved off those infections, the scientists posited that those same antibodies could also neutralize the new virus that causes Covid-19. They were right, and published their results Tuesday in the journal Cell." And Winter is just so CUTE!!
- Blood thinners are a promising treatment for the prevention of blood clots in COVID-19 patients. Turns out clots are one of the causes of COVID-19 deaths and the studies that have been released show a dramatic decline in deaths with patients treated with the blood thinners.
Featured
The Good the Tech Industry Does…
- Salesforce seems to be in this every week. Much as I like Salesforce – it's not because of that. Its effort in this crisis is not just laudable, it's heroic, epic really. As of May 4, it was announcing Salesforce Work.com, a portal for literally everything you need to manage your workforce in any time of crisis. The reason I word it that way, is that Salesforce Care is, I have to presume, not going away when the pandemic does. It will be permanent. Among the offerings of expert advice, management technology tools and access to best practices, one stands out to me in particular. It has developed emergency response management tools with Accenture to help you handle everything from crisis intervention to business continuity. The full press release can be read here.
The Good that People(s) Do
- In 1847 The Choctaw Nation, impoverished and suffering, donated $170.00 of their very limited funds to support the starving people of Ireland. That great deed was never forgotten. Now 173 years later, the Irish people are returning the favor to the Native American population of the U.S. and are major donors to a GoFundMe effort to support the Navajo and Hopi nations who are struggling with Covid-19. The statement from the Choctaw says it all: The Choctaw and Irish had become kindred spirits since the potato famine, the tribe said. "We hope the Irish, Navajo and Hopi peoples develop lasting friendships, as we have. Sharing our cultures makes the world grow smaller."
- Guy Fieri, noted chef and all around raconteur, has raised $20 million in relief for out of work restaurant employees. I find it amazing how much people -- famous or otherwise -- are doing for each other in the midst of this crisis. Amazing, but expected. The good in people, the empathetic nature of the species shows up when it has to.
- The Reform Alliance, headed by Twitter magnate Jack Dorsey, Meek Mill and the inimitable Jay Z are sending 10 million masks and other PPEs to correctional institutions across the country. I say no more.
Useful Information
- Sometimes it comes from strange places. Of all companies, Kroger came out with a playbook really called "Sharing What We Learned: A Blueprint for Businesses." It is actually a really good retailer's (and applicable other ways) guide to handling the store during the lockdowns.
- Finally. Someone who likes working from home -- and is not just accommodating it. This article in Fast Company by Doug Aamoth outlines some things you can do that will make it not just a burden to be shouldered but be something that you will actually enjoy. Even beyond the pandemic. And there will be a "beyond the pandemic." Hang in there.
Best PowerPoint of the Week
Of course, this is the only PowerPoint of the entire pandemic…outside of the 10 million generated by the tech industry. This is once again a Ryan Reynolds tour de force. Takes PowerPoint to a new level – though the level is sideways. Or down…
Best Corona Cover of…What day is this?
This week, we reach back to Ariel and Under the Sea. Why wouldn't we? This one is SO well done.
Best Professional Effort of the…More than a Week
I'm cheating. This wasn't a specifically produced effort for SIP and COVID-19. This is the Prayer of St. Francis as it was sung in Come from Away. If you are unacquainted with Come from Away, it is a major hit Broadway musical about the response of the citizens of Gander, Newfoundland to closing of the U.S. airspace during 9-11. Seven thousand airline passengers were grounded in Gander and all of them, ALL OF THEM, were taken in and taken care of by the Gander citizens -- 9000 total citizens in the town. There is a book about this and of course, the musical. This is the Prayer of St. Francis (one of the versions) sung and the beauty of the sentiment and song and the arrangement just should be listened to. By the way, not only am I married to a Newfoundlander, but the character Beulah (whose name you will hear in the beginning) is based on my mother-in-law's cousin, who was a hero and named…Beulah IRL. Listen and do what I do each time. Cry and also recognize the beauty in the human spirit. I'm not religious but….
Cheating again…
You've probably figured out that I love Broadway. That I miss Broadway -- though have only walked down it and gone to theatres in its district. So once again, this was the incredibly well produced Broadway tribute to Moms on Mother's Day done from homes everywhere as a fundraiser for the COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund. I can't get over how the lighting is perfect, the sound outstanding and the production of choral voices flawless. By the way, when you get to the "Come from Away" segment and the "real Beulah Cooper" – that's my mother in law's cousin. She's family.
And once again…SGN with John Krasinki
Who am I kidding? This blows away all the competition. This guy has built a monument to how to handle a crisis with humor and empathy. This week he presides over graduation so that those who didn't get to go to theirs can be part of one.
I'm just gonna end this post with an SGN/JK trademark ending, something he says at the end of every show.
"Just remember, no matter how hard things get, there is always good in the world."
You go, everyone.
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Once again, remember the CRM Playaz Happy Hours on Wednesdays at 3:30pm EDT to 4:30pm EDT(ish). It really ends closer to five but it can't be a happy hour if it ends in 90 minutes now can it? These have been great - completely booked (free to register) for the entirety of their existence. Next available: May 20. Here's the link if you're interested. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crm-playaz-happy-hour-tickets-101830929050.