Hokie Talk addresses pandemic and university response

Published: Sep. 30, 2020 at 10:30 PM EDT
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BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - Wednesday, Virginia Tech held a Hokie Talk to engage the community with faculty and their research during the pandemic.

Leaders said it was important to create a test that did not rely on the supply chain, since finding materials could be difficult, especially in the beginning.

From the onset, the school helped produce PPE, create a COVID-19 test and learned how to create unmatched collaboration across Hokie Nation.

“The excitement about being able to put science to the task today, to help people today and tomorrow as opposed to 20 years from now, that was key motivation,” said Harald Sontheimer of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.

Researchers said communication will be key the next time something like this happens, and they know they have the ability to adapt if COVID-19 mutates.

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