{"643836":{"#nid":"643836","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Campus Initiatives Continue to Tackle Challenge of Covid-19","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs students, faculty, and staff return to campus, there are several ways to slow the spread of Covid-19. The main three are, as they were in the fall, to \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/coronavirus\/testing\u0022\u003Eget tested weekly\u003C\/a\u003E, wear a mask, and physically distance yourself from others.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERecently, though, Georgia Tech researchers have developed even more ways for members of the Georgia Tech community to help slow the spread.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne project in the works is in coordination with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/research-training\/medical-research-initiatives\/radx\u0022\u003ENational Institutes of Health RADx initiative\u003C\/a\u003E. This program is designed to evaluate novel high-throughput, cost-effective tests, and positive samples are needed for validation. Surveillance testing participants will be able to opt in to provide an additional sample at the campus testing site in the Couch Building. Identities are not tied to samples. To participate, visit the Couch Building testing site \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/coronavirus\/testing\u0022\u003Eduring regular operating hours\u003C\/a\u003E and let the testing staff know you\u0026rsquo;d like to participate.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the fall, Georgia Tech started using NOVID, an exposure notification app. The app has been enhanced since the fall and now runs in the background on both Androids and iPhones, so users need only open it once and not fully turn it off for it to work. Without collecting any personally identifiable information from its users, the app uses ultrasound and Bluetooth technology to keep track of who each person has been in contact with. Users are alerted if someone they\u0026rsquo;ve been in contact with tests positive, enabling them to judge their risk of exposure and whether to self-isolate. Learn more about NOVID \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2020\/08\/17\/novid-exposure-notification-app-enlists-smartphones-coronavirus-battle\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/covidvoice.net\/\u0022\u003ECOVIDvoice\u003C\/a\u003E project lets people anonymously submit voice recordings and know immediately if they may have Covid-19 or not. Bruce Walker, professor in the School of Psychology and School of Interactive Computing, is leading the project. COVIDvoice\u0026rsquo;s algorithms are designed to detect subtle changes in the body\u0026rsquo;s speech systems sometimes caused by the virus.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsers are encouraged to submit to COVIDvoice regularly to help improve the program\u0026rsquo;s algorithms, which are already approximately 80% accurate.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, David Ku, Regents Professor and Lawrence P. Huang Chair in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, helped create \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/countcovid.org\/\u0022\u003ECount Covid\u003C\/a\u003E, an anonymous survey that allows people to track any potential Covid-19 symptoms they may have. Respondents also provide their zip code to contribute to time-based displays that show the spread of Covid-19 in individual communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFinally, the American Red Cross is always looking for blood donations, especially now. Blood drives will be on campus approximately once a month; you can see the next one on the GT American Red Cross Club\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.redcross.gtorg.gatech.edu\/calendar.html\u0022\u003Ecalendar\u003C\/a\u003E or find another one \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.redcrossblood.org\/give.html\/find-drive\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E. Donations are now \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.redcrossblood.org\/donate-blood\/dlp\/covid-19-antibody-testing.html\u0022\u003Ebeing screened for Covid-19 antibodies\u003C\/a\u003E. Donors will be able to learn the results of their antibody test and whether they may have had an asymptomatic case without knowing it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate in these new opportunities to help slow the spread as much as possible, they are no substitute for regular testing, masking, and social distancing. Those who test positive off campus should report their results to Stamps Health Services. Learn more about those initiatives \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/tech-moving-forward\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETech researchers have helped develop several new technologies to add on to testing, masking, and distancing.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Tech researchers have helped develop several new technologies to add on to testing, masking, and distancing."}],"uid":"34946","created_gmt":"2021-02-16 23:29:38","changed_gmt":"2021-02-17 01:40:56","author":"gwyner3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-02-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-02-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"644358":{"id":"644358","type":"image","title":"Covid-19 Research Illustration","body":null,"created":"1613526041","gmt_created":"2021-02-17 01:40:41","changed":"1613526041","gmt_changed":"2021-02-17 01:40:41","alt":"Covid-19 Research Illustration","file":{"fid":"244635","name":"covid-research-illus.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/covid-research-illus.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/covid-research-illus.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":491480,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/covid-research-illus.jpg?itok=3D5WiJuf"}}},"media_ids":["644358"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"184289","name":"covid-19"},{"id":"184995","name":"tech moving forward"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:stucomm@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGrace Wyner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}