Howdunnit

Three people in Orange County came together to fill the gap in testing in their area. A surgeon named Dr. Yalamanchili, a scientist named Dr. Chris Crock, and a laboratory owner named Michelle Huston joined forces to create an independent testing lab that can produce results in only 90 minutes. Right now the lab is conducting up to 100 tests a day, and the three of them are also encouraging others to open independent labs to fill the gaps.

With experience from past regional disasters and supply-chain disruptions, supermarket chain H-E-B faced the coronavirus chaos with calm preparation, ensuring employees and management act quickly to mitigate their losses - and to keep their shoppers healthy. The chain got a head start by asking suppliers in heavily affected areas - like Italy - for tips and tricks, enforcing early-on social distancing rules, and increasing sick leave for employees.

Social distancing has negatively affected homeless shelters, because the volunteers who prepare the meals aren't considered essential employees. The city of Cambridge pledged to pay local restaurants to provide bagged or boxed meals for lunch and dinner at shelters for as long as social distancing guidelines remain in place. This also helps restaurants who are struggling without customers. The operation started in March of 2020 and has since distributed 1,800 meals to eight homeless shelters and meal programs. Other cities like Detroit and Portland are following their lead.

As a grass-roots response to assist vulnerable populations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, communities around the world are using social media to distribute supplies, services, and advice. One such group on Facebook, the Bristol Community Care - Covid-19 Mutual Aid, has gone viral with thousands of members seeking to help or receive help.

As coronavirus continues to spread around the world, social distancing is being implemented due to its proven success with helping to drastically slow the spread of the Spanish flu in St. Louis Missouri. In a comparison of St. Louis and Philadelphia – a city that did not institute social distancing practices – limiting the time in public spaces helped to keep per capita flu-related deaths in St. Louis "to less than half of those in Philadelphia."

Based out of the city of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, a live radio show is tackling the stigma around mental health care by combining their platform with those in the mental health care field. Not only does the radio show discuss psychological issues on air, but it also offers free and reduced-cost mental health services to those that serve as guests on the show.

In just a few days, Montana’s Jefferson County school district had to adapt to remote teaching in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus, with the governor leaving it up to schools and teachers to figure out how. From using Zoom to teleconference with students, to calling parents regularly, to figuring out if and how to use computers at all, teachers and administrators are learning how to provide structure and learning to kids from afar.

Six months ago, a distillery in Ohio had the idea to start making hand sanitizer on-site, but because of the rapid spread of the coronavirus and the FDA changing regulations, the business has now fast-tracked the idea into reality. With only their first batch ready to donate, the distillery has already received over 1,000 requests for deliveries of the sanitizer.

The coronavirus pandemic swept the nation at a time when many would be going to polling stations to cast their votes in primary elections, but vote-at-home practices are providing a solution for this civic inconvenience. Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and now Utah have all implemented statewide all-mail election campaigns that not only improve voter turnout, but also cost less to taxpayers than only relying on in-person polling booths.

An elementary school in Bradford, England has seen a direct correlation between embracing music as part of their curriculum and students' performance in English and Math. The school is in a low-income area with most of its students speaking English as a second language and was doing very poorly before they made the switch. The school is now in the top 10% of schools in England, and students say that school is now energetic and fun.