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Coalition seeks to make city test case for virus prevention and treatment

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City is being eyed as a potential model for a nationwide roll-out of testing and guidance by some of the country’s most respected disease experts on how best to reopen the country and reduce risks of a second wave of COVID-19 infection.

The coalition, consisting of local corporate executives and researchers as well as experts from top institutions including Harvard and Duke, is focused on creating a surplus of tests and samples to delve into how many asymptomatic cases have spread and the search for an antidote to the virus.

Coordinators locally include Dr. Jason Sanders, Provost of the OU Health Sciences Center; Dr. Stephen Prescott, president of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation; and Christian Kanady, business executive and investor.

Dubbed the “START Coalition” (Smart Testing and Analysis to Return Tomorrow), the growing list of participants is hoping to lessen the virus’ threat until a vaccine is created and to also come up with long-term preventive measures while also leading to a cure.

“We will be the first city that would understand the true reach of the epidemic,” Kanady said. “We would know who has it, we would know how widespread it is with cluster testing. The goal here is to know more data than in any other city and that is due to the elaborate ecosystem we have.”

The COVID-19 virus is continuing to spread throughout the country even as states are reopening restaurants, shops and other public spaces to restart the economy. Confirmed cases in Oklahoma total 4,732 with 119 added on Tuesday while the death count is at 278, an increase of four since yesterday.

The United States virus count is at 1.3 million testing positive and more than 80,000 dead.

The reopenings are happening in several states, including Oklahoma, despite warnings from Dr. Anthony Fauci who told U.S. Senators Tuesday the states that do not follow guidelines and open too quickly are risking a resurgence of suffering.

“If that occurs there is a real risk of triggering an outbreak you will not be able to control,” Fauci said, “which in fact paradoxically will set you back in leading to suffering and death that could have been avoided but can set you back in seeking economic recovery.”

While part of the coalition’s efforts will be increased testing focused on key populations including teachers, construction workers and grocery employees, another task will be to make the current reopening safer.

Dr. Salmann Keshavjee, a professor in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, is a part of the coalition seeking to make the openings already underway safer for those using public spaces.

“We’ve seen millions of people going into unemployment,” Keshavjee said. “And there are surveys showing people are living one paycheck away from being homeless.”

Keshavjee suggests starting in Oklahoma City with what he calls “low hanging fruit” — old technology already being used overseas to combat tuberculosis.

UVC germicidal lighting, which he said is a long-established technology, can be used in spaces with high ceilings and has been effective in sanitizing spaces during previous fights against the H1N1 virus, SARS and the flu.

“It’s light,” Keshavjee said. “We could have it in schools, auditoriums, places like Walmart. You have to figure out how much light a space needs and also how much is needed without hurting people’s eyes.”

In Oklahoma City, he said, the experiment could go on to include nursing homes where death rates have been spiraling.

While the waiting for a vaccine is likely to last another year or more, Keshavjee also sees the work in Oklahoma City leading to the use of other treatments, notably the BCG vaccine, as a means to reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections.

“It’s been used to reduce the severity of disease and the mortality rates with children,” Keshavjee said. “We don’t use it that much in the U.S. because we don’t have tuberculosis. We do use it here sometimes to cure bladder cancer.”

Prescott said the testing and sampling part of the mission relies on key partnerships with the Oklahoma Blood Institute, the Indian Health Clinics and partnerships with tribes including the Chickasaws and Choctaws.

“This is unprecedented,” Prescott said. “I don’t know of a model like this. I was surprised when we were contacted and asked if we wanted to participate. It took a while to describe what it is. The breadth of the idea and initiative is striking.”

Contributors from Oklahoma City will include Dr. Judith James, a renowned immunologist at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.

“Her scientific and clinical wok is based on patients who have autoimmune disorders where our immune systems attack us and not the virus,” Prescott said.

Scientists believe an uptick in children suffering Kawasaki disease-style symptoms are actually afflicted with the COVID-19 virus.

“What we’re going to find is the virus is causing antibodies that are attacking the heart and other organs,” Prescott said. “And that’s what we will be studying in people with the virus and those who are healthy.”

Even as antibodies are developed among those hit with the virus, Keshavjee said the coalition will be tracking whether those antibodies protect the patient or start attacking their organs.

Keshavjee said the coalition will be ramping up testing to find hot spots and also address ongoing infection spreads in nursing homes.

“Let’s test sensibly so we know what our hot spots are,” Keshavjee said. “Randomized testing doesn’t work. So our coalition will be doing focused testing to see where the clusters are. One of the elements in Oklahoma City that make it important is you have an elderly population that is at risk. You have a lot of tribal populations and there is a lot of risk due to other factors like diabetes.”

In coming days, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the START Coalition will announce details regarding when and how the program will unfold, with targeted testing to understand hotspots, careful allocation of appropriate tests and ways to support the community.

“In Oklahoma City, we have a history of moving swiftly to combat tragedy,” Prescott said. “Where others see challenges, we see opportunity. The COVID-19 pandemic now gives us the opportunity to work together to pioneer approaches that will save lives and restore our economy.”

News 9 - OKC Selected For National COVID-19 Pilot Program

Oklahoma City was selected to host a national COVID-19 program. Their goal is to help communities and businesses reopen safely while making testing more available.

The START Coalition says it is now working with the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation to come up with a plan to tackle the coronavirus and help people get back to their normal lives.

 

KOCO - Nationwide coalition focuses on reopening of Oklahoma to get rest of country ready

Oklahoma could be a test case study for the nation's efforts to reopen America as the Alliance of Nonprofits just launched a study that starts in Oklahoma City.

The nationwide coalition is composed of a variety of experts. It said it's starting with Oklahoma City because the city has a history of fighting back during a tragedy.

START Coalition to Bring Comprehensive Approach to Opening Communities Safely

Orlean Times Herald

In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic and to prepare for future community health challenges, the START Coalition, an alliance of nonprofit organizations committed to addressing the pandemic, has launched a pilot program to provide communities with data and strategies to implement a coordinated response designed to make spaces safer, interrupt the spread of the virus, and enable people to get back to their lives and livelihoods.

The START Coalition has assembled a nationwide partnership of distinguished experts from academia, healthcare, government, business and technology sectors to design and implement practical and measurable applications for prevention of the spread of COVID-19. The START Coalition will combine its broad-based institutional knowledge on the nature, transmission and prevention of infectious outbreaks and marry it with best practices and on-the-ground expertise of local healthcare leaders and providers. This first-of-its-kind initiative will begin in Oklahoma City and rapidly expand to partner communities across the nation.

In Oklahoma City, the START Coalition’s network includes the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. With their local leadership and medical partnership, START will initiate a program custom-designed for the unique attributes of the Oklahoma City population. Lessons learned and data sharing with state and national partners will be prioritized in the coming days and weeks.

“In Oklahoma City, we have a history of moving swiftly to combat tragedy,” said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation President Stephen Prescott, M.D. “Where others see challenges, we see opportunity. The COVID-19 pandemic now gives us the opportunity to work together to pioneer approaches that will save lives and restore our economy.”

“The goal of the START Coalition is to put the power of prevention in the hands of the people,” said Christian Kanady, START Advisory Council member. “Government has an important role to play but our founding partners all agree that partnerships across science, business and technology will catalyze and accelerate the process of making society safe. We don’t have time to wait and we must all leverage our strengths in times of need. That frontline approach to invest is critical in gathering data during a pandemic. Without data, we will continue to live in the unnerving future when disease spreads faster than knowledge.”

The Coalition will bring a complementary testing approach to Oklahoma City to fill an important data gap: an understanding of the extent of COVID-19 including those that are asymptomatic. As the state ramps up its capacity to process the many thousands of tests needed to keep Oklahomans safe, START believes it can help by providing more tests and helping coordinate strategy.

The START Coalition will design and implement an approach that can inform other communities as they combat this disease. The START Coalition includes some of the world’s leading medical researchers. Partners include Harvard Medical School’s Center for Global Health Delivery and experts from Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy; additional partners will be announced soon.

“OU is committed to collaboration and innovation, and we are highly enthusiastic about the expertise and capabilities that the START coalition brings to Oklahoma City and beyond,” said Dr. Jason Sanders, Provost of the OU Health Sciences Center. “Our scientists, physicians, and public health experts are already working with START colleagues on contact tracing algorithms, antibody research, and vaccine clinical trials.”

In the coming days, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the START Coalition will announce details regarding when and how the program will unfold, with targeted testing to understand hotspots, careful allocation of appropriate tests and ways to support the community.

The START Coalition is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating pandemic-safe communities through the advancement of comprehensive, proven, collaborative solutions for testing, reporting and prevention. The START Coalition develops repeatable, scalable technology applications that assist local communities in understanding, containing and preventing community spread of disease. For more details about the START Coalition, visit www.start-coalition.org.

Coronavirus Response Program Established

OKLAHOMA CITY – The START Coalition has established a pilot program to provide communities with data and strategies to implement a coordinated response designed to make spaces safer, interrupt the spread of the coronavirus and enable people to get back to their lives and livelihoods.

The START Coalition has assembled a nationwide partnership of representatives from academia, health care, government, business and technology sectors to design and implement applications for prevention of the spread of COVID-19. The initiative will begin in Oklahoma City and expand to partner communities across the nation.

In Oklahoma City, the START Coalition’s network includes the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. START will initiate a program custom-designed for Oklahoma City.

“In Oklahoma City, we have a history of moving swiftly to combat tragedy,” said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation President Stephen Prescott.

START Coalition partners include Harvard Medical School’s Center for Global Health Delivery and representatives from Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy.

The START Coalition is a nonprofit organization.

The Oklahoman - Coronavirus in Oklahoma: Coalition launches first-of-its-kind initiative

Fox 25 - Researchers choose OKC to test virus-fighting technology

The Guardian - The TB epidemic teaches us the battle against Covid-19 won't be won in hospitals alone

Opinion: The Way The U.S. Beat TB Could Be A Boon In Battling Coronavirus

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