We have a lot to be grateful for in the time of COVID19
Thursday was the traditional time for families to get together, share a meal and give thanks. However, this year, many families will not be able to be together due to COVID-19 ̶̶̶-- because travel is either not possible or not safe. For some families, this Thanksgiving is particularly hard, because family members have been lost to COVID-19.
This year I want to give a special thanks to all the first responders that have put themselves and their families in harms way to help others.
Giving thanks and being grateful is one of the most effective roads to happiness. We are all dealing with an elevated level of stress and mental health issues because of COVID-19. Being able to help others provides a much more lasting feeling of happiness than any gift could.
I am grateful for:
1. That Genomic Expression is able to assist in controlling the epidemic by providing rapid COVID-19 PCR testing of the viral RNA in saliva and other sample types
2. That, despite the chaos involved in getting to this point, our employees, suppliers and community have been supportive of our efforts
3. That science, with the data indicating a 90% effectiveness from Moderna and Pfizer’s RNA vaccines, has provided us with hope for a future where COVID-19 is no longer deadly
We have been able to establish amazing new relationships with other companies and academic institutions that are as devoted as we are providing solutions for COVID-19. There is a new sense of community, and novel ways to collaborate are being discovered every day.
I can see how we can get out of this now and, in the process, we have learned a lot:
- RNA is a powerful molecule that provides us information about the presence of disease, as well as cures
- That by collaborating we can accelerate solutions to combat diseases.
- That we can deliver healthcare in novel ways, using Telehealth and diagnostics
I don’t think we will go back to a post COVID-19 world. COVID-19, and viruses like it, are here to stay. It’s mutating, and that could render current vaccines ineffective. But as long as we monitor this development, and, just as we do with the flu, update the vaccines for next season, we should be able to go back to a new normal where we can gather for the holidays without risk. Where we can travel again. And where we can work again, generating income and providing for our families and communities again.
About RNA
RNA stands for ribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid present in all living cells. Its principal role is to act as a messenger, carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins, although in some viruses, RNA rather than DNA carries the genetic information. COVID-19 is an RNA virus.
This Thanksgiving, we need to help the 50 million food-insecure Americans to get food on the table. One of 4 children is now food insecure. This year, I am supporting our local food panty, and am very grateful for everyone who has been working to make this a Thanksgiving where families do not have to go hungry.
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