PANDEMIC REPORT: Understanding antibody levels | Vaccine transport | Support for students

Antibody levels

PITTSBURGH, PA—Do antibody levels actually reflect how well a body can neutralize a virus? A project at the University of Pittsburgh is aiming to find out how long antibodies last in immunocompromised individuals, as well as how they change over time. Ghady Haidar, MD, assistant professor of medicine and director of research, bone marrow transplant and hematological malignancy infectious diseases at Pitt, shared his findings so far in this report.

A new way to transport vaccines

ANDERSON, IN—Rolls-Royce Corp. is partnering with Anderson-based startup ChefsFridge Co. to develop a novel way to store and transport COVID-19 vaccines. The ArcticRx system is an ultra-low temperature pod that, the partners say, is the first of its kind to support the delivery of a two-dose vaccine regimen, specifically to rural, remote and international areas.

Feeding students during the shutdown

DETROIT, MI—Approximately 85% of the 50,000 students served by Detroit Public Schools district are eligible for a free breakfast and lunch on school days. When the pandemic shutdown happened, the district had to figure out a way to feed students with the highest need. Using transportation software, the district filtered on the identified students with the use of our internal information fields, copied the students to a new student file, and set them all up for door-to-door delivery each day. The district has been recognized by The Tyler Excellence Awards for innovative use of transportation technologies.