Some Good News During Quarantine

By N. Elmôr 
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 In times like these, good news is always welcome. Cheer up! Here is some positive general news about the pandemic. 
 

• Hong Kong and Taiwan from experience with the SARS outbreak in 2002 were able to tackle the current epidemic and spread their knowledge of investing time and resources into dealing with a pandemic.  
• The outbreak has propagated scientists worldwide to collaborate and look for a vaccine to fight the virus. Researchers have been using their knowledge from past outbreaks as a starting point for a vaccine. Clinical trials of potential vaccines are underway in China and the USA.  
• At Mercedes, Formula 1 racing engineers have paired up with University College London to create a breathing device which could be used as an alternative to putting patients into intensive care on a ventilator. 
• In India, doctors have noticed that drugs mostly used for HIV, swine flu and malaria have been successful in treating patients with COVID-19. 
• In Italy, a 102-year-old woman, Italica Grondona, recovered from the virus as did 106-year-old Connie Titchen, from Britain. 

• Due to the slowdown in production and transportation, pollution has decreased immensely. The air pollution has fallen to unprecedented levels, and air quality has significantly improved in major cities.  
• China reported that its lockdown caused a 25% decrease in CO2 (compared to the same timeframe in 2019).  
• A research carried out by Marshall Burke from Stanford University has estimated that the reduction in emissions in China during the start of this year could save 77,000 lives (20 more people that died from coronavirus between January and February in China). 
• In Thailand, rare leatherback turtles have begun building more nests on the shores than they have in the past two decades. 
• Governments all around the world have promised to support citizens and businesses in light of the economic difficulties that have come from the coronavirus. Sweden is subsidizing 90% of wages of workers affected by the coronavirus. France has cut taxes and rent payments for small businesses and expanding the welfare system for workers. 

• The hotels and restaurants which are temporarily closed have prepared meals for health workers and people in their communities.  
• All over the world, people have gone to their windows simultaneously to cheer and thank health care workers. 

 
Ironically, the pandemic has brought us all closer together and reminded the world of how the only way to solve problems is by working collaboratively and efficiently.  
 
 https://www.cnet.com/news/coronavirus-chronicles-good-news-amid-the-dire-reports/