Over the past two weeks, I have struggled to accept and adapt to the constantly changing and challenging world of the COVID-19 crisis. What do I write about in my series of MedTech start-up blogs, while at the same time thousands of people around the world are suffering medically and economically? It’s definitely not business as usual, and pretending that it is would be inappropriate.
At the same time, as a MedTech entrepreneur, I am constantly asking myself how, what and why. And in the case of COVID-19, the two prominent questions dominating my mind are:
Why is washing my hands with soap and water so critical to the dampening of the spread of the virus, and what is the science behind it?
How do I make productive use of the hours and days of being sequestered in my home?
Here is part of the note to my family, friends and business colleagues that I shared the other day:
“Eureka! Finally, I now understand the science around why it is so critical to wash our hands many times daily… and though you might have seen this elsewhere by now, I would like to share it with you:
A COVID-19 virus particle is one millionth the size of a human cell… so small, in fact, that it needs to feed off proteins provided from a new cell it is invading in order to make copies of itself (replicate) and further proliferate. These new proteins sit on a fatty lipid membrane surrounding the virus particle. This membrane, so critical to virus life and proliferation, breaks up when it encounters soap and water, and results in the death of the virus particle. This is why hand-washing is such a valuable barrier to infection…we not only wash away but we destroy the virus. Makes much more sense to me now!
Also, I thought I would share with you a message full of hope and inspiration that I recently received from Philip Robb, Chairman of the Board of the Forest and Stream Club here in Montreal, when notifying its members of a temporary closing:
‘Finally, here is some inspiration as you work from home. In 1665, the University of Cambridge closed due to an outbreak of the bubonic plague. Isaac Newton had to work from home and he used this time to develop calculus and the theory of gravity. Shakespeare used the times when the theatres were closed due to plague outbreaks to write his sonnet sequence. Our own goals will be more moderate, but there is something to be said for the power of thinking and learning when you find yourself in a period of unexpected isolation.’”
And for the MedTech entrepreneurs across North America, let’s start thinking about strategies and technologies to better predict, mitigate - and even prevent - the next pandemic. This will indeed make the world a better place.
So, let’s imagine, invent, create or discover something! And please wash your hands regularly!”