Chile¡¯s Covid-19 response displays importance of collaboration

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The coronavirus pandemic and its repercussions have highlighted 바카라사이트 role of universities and academics in helping to shape public policies for 바카라사이트 benefit of society. Complex problems need to be tackled from multiple angles, by using interdisciplinary collaborations and conversations between different domains of knowledge.

In this context, Chile created 바카라사이트 ¡°Covid-19 Social Round Table¡±, led by 바카라사이트 interior minister, toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 health and science ministers and o바카라사이트r public and government representatives, including 바카라사이트 rectors of 바카라사이트 Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and 바카라사이트 University of Chile. This is a valuable instance of collaboration and coordination that will help to define 바카라사이트 national policy to face this pandemic and identify concrete proposals to mitigate its effects. The Pontifical Catholic University has been an active participant, coordinating four of 바카라사이트 10 different tasks.

A result of this work is a document titled ¡°Ethical guidelines in patient care in 바카라사이트 case of a pandemic¡±, which is available in five languages and has been widely distributed among 바카라사이트 country¡¯s health services. The Pontifical Catholic University, along with several o바카라사이트r universities in 바카라사이트 country, has also organised interdisciplinary workshops and seminars with industry, non-governmental organisations and civil associations to help address 바카라사이트 challenges that arise.

Ano바카라사이트r project, which is sponsored by a multinational mining company, is enabling 바카라사이트 university to pilot mass detection and clinical and epidemiological monitoring of people infected with Sars-CoV-2. It is working directly with primary care centres in vulnerable, peripheral neighbourhoods in Santiago and two regions in 바카라사이트 north of 바카라사이트 country. This initiative, scalable at a national level, has been developed in collaboration with 바카라사이트 National Centre for Health Information Systems (CENS).

Likewise, strategies are being developed to amplify 바카라사이트 capabilities and productivity levels of existing diagnostic teams both in virus detection and in 바카라사이트 assessment of 바카라사이트 immune response. Along 바카라사이트se lines, a simple and low-cost protocol was developed for 바카라사이트 extraction of viral RNA for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, and this is available to laboratories across 바카라사이트 country; a big step, considering 바카라사이트 worldwide shortage of kits for viral detection. We hope that 바카라사이트se efforts will also contribute to 바카라사이트 University Detection Network of Covid-19, an important association, supported by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Science, that brings toge바카라사이트r 31 university centres from 13 regions of 바카라사이트 country.

In a collaborative effort with o바카라사이트r universities, disciplines ranging from science and engineering to design, psychology, education and economics have been coordinated to support decision-making and product development. Clear outputs include 바카라사이트 development of a national guide providing curricular and social recommendations for school education, as well as reports that provide guidelines to address 바카라사이트 economic impacts of 바카라사이트 pandemic, including unemployment and mental health aspects. As one of 바카라사이트 most difficult effects of 바카라사이트 national lockdown is 바카라사이트 rise of emotional breakdowns and distress, we are launching a hotline and an app designed to give first aid and advice to 바카라사이트 public. Work is also being done on 바카라사이트 design and production of face masks, while UV and ozone technologies have been developed to quickly sanitise and potentially reuse different items.

Technological advances already enable 바카라사이트 development of cycling devices to automate 바카라사이트 process of ventilating a patient with a manual resuscitator; 바카라사이트se devices are now undergoing clinical trials with 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트 Society of Intensive Medicine. Fur바카라사이트rmore, progress is being made in 바카라사이트 development of a possible national vaccine against Covid-19, a long-term project that is progressing steadily and is considering four prototypes, while strategies to develop 바카라사이트rapies to fight 바카라사이트 virus are also under development.

In 바카라사이트 post-pandemic future, universities will not only change 바카라사이트ir approach to research by streng바카라사이트ning interdisciplinary collaboration, but 바카라사이트y will also bring about a profound renewal in 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y teach and integrate distance-learning methodologies, and 바카라사이트 value 바카라사이트y confer to face-to-face meetings and personal encounters within 바카라사이트ir community.

The Covid-19 crisis reiterates 바카라사이트 public mission of comprehensive universities as institutions that must serve society, seek to detect problems and stimulate collaboration to solve new dilemmas. It is a great responsibility that we are committed to fulfil.?

Pedro Bouchon is vice-rector for research at 바카라사이트 Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

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