The recent pandemic brought about by COVID-19 has left a lot of people to rethink the way we conduct our daily lives. From people in authority to the common person you see in the street, no one has not made some acclimation to the new normal in response to the virus. But at the forefront in the battle against the pandemic, the people in the sciences have worked tirelessly in the past months to promote the continuity and normalcy in our day-to-day enterprise.
Here are the areas in science that have stepped into the spotlight because of the virus:
1. Medicine
Healthcare has become the centerpiece of the world’s war against the virus. All of the sciences listed are in support of the people working in the medical field. Pharmaceutical companies are in a haste to come up not only with a vaccine, but also effective treatments for those who are stricken by the virus. As of August over 150 vaccines are in development globally with more than 70% are spearheaded by private companies while the rest are conducted by the academe and public sectors.
Treatment and diagnostics are one of the pillars in the fight against the virus. With more than 150 treatments being tested, they are also looking into technologies that accurately and speedily detect those who are infected in order to prevent the spread. In the early days of the pandemic, these test kits were in short supply around the globe, but through new technologies made available, a lot of countries have already sourced a sufficient supply of rapid test kits.
2. Safety and Sanitation
When the bubonic plague ravaged Europe, one of the main causes of its deadly spread is the lack of sanitation during those times. As we face another pandemic, even with our level of sanitation and safety in place, companies and government sectors are still enlisting cleaning companies to boost the cleanliness of our surroundings.
With the race against time, medical institutions are already overwhelmed with COVID cases arising every day. Because they are working with contagious biological agents specialized tools and purpose-built biosafety cabinet are in need in many diagnostic labs and clinical facilities. The science of preventing the spread by reducing its risk is one of the primary players during this pandemic.
3. Computer Science
The business world still needs to function or institutions and organizations will all fall apart. Although the technology used by companies that employ a work-from-home scheme was already established before the pandemic, many of them have increased their capacity to accommodate the increasing demands.
Ecommerce has saved businesses and displaced workers all over the world and computer science and information technology play a big role in that. Business although encountered minor setbacks are beginning to make strides as it adapts to the new terrain.
4. Data Science
Data science has helped medical institutions to keep track of the spread of the virus. It has allowed government bodies to mitigate the contagion and set up perimeters to prevent further infection to the populace. Vaccine developers also use data science to help them assess their vaccines and their progress through the different phases.
The world relies on science more than ever to provide solutions against this deadly virus while seeking temporary protection so that people may continue on with their lives. Science has not only provided us with ways to cope, it has also given us hope that this pandemic will soon pass and everything will be fine.