UNLV scientists help fight COVID-19
UNLV scientists help fight COVID-19
Professors and students at UNLV are working together to create a needed component for COVID-19 test kits.
Nina Porciuncula reports.
AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC.13 ACTION NEWS ANCHOR NINAPORCIUNCULA SHOWS YOU - HOWTHEY ARE USING THEIR SKILLS TOCREATE A NEEDED COMPONENT FORCOVID-19 TEST KITS.AS THE RACE TO STOP CORONAVIRUSCONTINUES, A TEAM OF UNLVSCIENTISTS ARE HELPING THESOUTHERN NEVADA HEALTH DISTRICTAND VALLEY HOSPITALS IN THEBEST WAY THEY CAN.PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS AREWORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE ASOLUTION CALLED A VIRALTRANSPORT MEDIUM - A CRUCIALPART OF COVID-19 SPECIMENCOLLECTION KITS.LEADING THE TEAM IS PROFESSORHELEN WING.2:34 SO INSIDE THAT VIAL, ASTHE SWAB GETS TAKEN FROM THEPATIENT THERE'S A SPECIMEN.THAT SPECIMEN NEEDS TO BEPRESERVED AND SENT TO THE LABFOR TESTING.IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT THAT INTOPROPER SOLUTION AND IT'S THATSOLUTION THAT WE'RE MAKING.2:56 SO FAR THEY'VE PRODUCED 3THOUSAND VIALS.THEY HOPE TO DELIVER 5 THOUSANDMORE TO PUBLIC HEALTHLABORATORIES THIS WEEK.5:08 ORDINARILY THIS MEDIA ISCOMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE AND THEHEALTH DISTRICT CAN JUSTPURCHASE IT BUT RIGHT NOW THEREIS A NATIONAL SHORTAGE.SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE LOOKINGFOR PEOPLE AROUND HERE TO MAKETHE MEDIA BECAUSE IT CAN'T BEPURCHASED READY MADE.23 BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE THISVIRAL TRANSPORT MEDIUM ATUNLV, FREES UP HEALTH OFFICIALSSO THEY CAN DEVOTE MORE TIME TOTESTING AND PANDEMIC RESPONSE.7:52 I REMEMBER FEELING A SENSEOF RELIEF BEING ABLE TO DOSOMETHING FINALLY WHEN THISOPPORTUNITY CAME UP.58 BUTTO 8:05 I SHOULD POINTOUT THAT THAT'S SOMETHINGTHAT'S ECHOED BY VOLUNTEERS WHORUN THIS PROJECT.EVERYONE SAYS I'M SO RELIEVEDTO BE DOING SOMETHING.I SO WANT TO HELP.I'M SO GLAD THAT MY SKILLS AREBEING USED IN THIS PROJECT.IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WEGIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY.UNLV SCIENTISTS WANT TO TAKE ITFURTHER AND EVENTUALLY CREATE ACOVID-19 TEST KIT RIGHT HERE.THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PARTNERS INTHE3D PRINTING PROCESS TO BE ABLETO DO THAT.ACCORDING TO THE SOUTHERNNEVADA HEALTH DISTRICT ---THERE ARE MORE THAN 44-HUNDREDCASES OF COVID-19 HERE IN CLARKNUMBERS-VTH
