Coronavirus Responses & Impacts Bioeconomy Survey Results – March 2020

Comments from readers. What special actions are you taking, what impacts are you seeing? In short, what’s happening and what should happen as you see it?

• It has been a process where we have all had to realize that it is much more serious and has an impact on everything than we thought just a few weeks before.
• Wide spread voluntary quarantines is like using a sledge hammer to put a screw in the wall. The primary goal here is to reduce the demand on the health care system for those that require intensive medical treatment, therefore there quarantines should be targeted for those most likely to need intensive medical treatment and should be systematically enforced. Quarantining people that have a low very likelihood of needing intensive medical treatment is not only useless it is counter productive to building up the herd immunity which is actually the only thing that will ultimately end the outbreak.
• We are self-isolating and in semi-lockdown. I’m (this is Kathryn Sheridan) holding online support groups for people to share their fears and concerns. I’m moving into the role of mentor for small businesses and for leaders and teams who need help. And I’m writing a lot!
• Digitalization of the services
• I have shifted people around in my organization. My goal is to keep my current team and paid as long as possible. We had numerous job posting that were to go out on Monday. Instead of hiring, I am having team members who can’t do their work due to shelter in place cover these tasks.