Businesses Combat COVID-19

Chris EdwardsThe economics news is dismal with reports every day of shutdowns, layoffs, and furloughs. More than 16 million Americans have been thrown out of work so far, and we have entered the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s.Yet amid the gloom there are frequent reports of businesses and entrepreneurs making advances in the battle against Covid ‐​19. The private sector is racing to produce vaccines, treatments, tests, and medical supplies to defeat the pandemic.Here are some recent developments:Formlabs ischurning out COVID-19 test swabs with 3-D printing, going from prototype to production in weeks. Meanwhile, Prisma Health and Johnson&  Johnson are using 3-D printingto produce ventilator splitters, allowing one machine to be used by two patients.Walgreens is expandingdrive ‐​thru virus testing in seven states this week.Abbott Labs invented a  COVID-19 test kit that produces results in 5 to 13 minutes. The companyhas shipped 190,000 kits so far. Cepheid and Mesa Biotechhave also developed tests that produce fairly rapid results.Robotics companieshave created machines that drive around hospitals and other facilities spraying ultraviolet light (UVC) to kill viruses in the air and on surfaces.Gilead Sciences hasincreased production of its experimental coronavirus drug remdesivir, and currently has 1.5 million doses that it is providing free of charge.Brooks Brothersis making surgical masks and ramping up production to 150,000 masks per d...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs