Biomedical Innovations: Capstone Projects 2021
COVID-19 Classroom Resources
by HARTLEY ALLRED, CATHERINE WATTERS & ZOE HANNAN
Purpose Statement
The days you spent in the classroom full of song and dance are now gone. Learning from home with 15 minute Google Meets is the new normal yet you don’t understand why, because you are a four year old child. Why is all of this happening? Where are my friends and teachers? Why is everyone wearing masks? Those are all things kids may not understand about COVID-19 so for our project we want to bring the information we have gathered to teach others. To do this we will be informing people that might not know a lot about COVID-19 because they are young. We are going to be teaching preschoolers about COVID-19 and how to be safe during this time of uncertainty. We hope that teaching young kids about the dangers of this virus and how to stay safe it will benefit our community and more people will want to be safe. Another goal is that by teaching kids about COVID-19 it will have them know all about the dangers and they can talk to their parents about it and hopefully influence them for the better also.
We expect that by teaching these preschoolers about COVID-19, when they go back to school, they will be safe and social distance from each other and understand the dangers that could occur if they do not. This is the best chance for everyone to stay safe and healthy and also be able to go back and stay in school with their friends. By teaching them about this virus another goal is that they learn how to adapt during these times. We want them to learn how to communicate with each other without having to have physical contact or by getting to close whether this is by an air hug or a thumbs up!
The days you spent in the classroom full of song and dance are now gone. Learning from home with 15 minute Google Meets is the new normal yet you don’t understand why, because you are a four year old child. Why is all of this happening? Where are my friends and teachers? Why is everyone wearing masks? Those are all things kids may not understand about COVID-19 so for our project we want to bring the information we have gathered to teach others. To do this we will be informing people that might not know a lot about COVID-19 because they are young. We are going to be teaching preschoolers about COVID-19 and how to be safe during this time of uncertainty. We hope that teaching young kids about the dangers of this virus and how to stay safe it will benefit our community and more people will want to be safe. Another goal is that by teaching kids about COVID-19 it will have them know all about the dangers and they can talk to their parents about it and hopefully influence them for the better also.
We expect that by teaching these preschoolers about COVID-19, when they go back to school, they will be safe and social distance from each other and understand the dangers that could occur if they do not. This is the best chance for everyone to stay safe and healthy and also be able to go back and stay in school with their friends. By teaching them about this virus another goal is that they learn how to adapt during these times. We want them to learn how to communicate with each other without having to have physical contact or by getting to close whether this is by an air hug or a thumbs up!
Homeless Shelters During COVID
by FIONA TURNBULL, ALEX CALLESIS & HANNAH ARMSTRONG
Purpose Statement
As cases of COVID-19 have continued to rise in the US, with a total of 21.7 million cases in the US as of January 8th, 2021 (The New York Times, 2020), it is vital that measures are taken to protect at-risk communities, specifically the homeless population. Shelters are a common area with high levels of disease and virus transmission, mostly due to “living in groups, crowding, environmental stresses, and poor nutrition”(Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Health Care for Homeless People, 1988). Because of this, the homeless have suffered immensely from the effects of the pandemic, with few resources available to treat illnesses or prevent the spread of the virus. To combat this issue, research suggests that public health programs, education, and vaccination are effective interventions against medical issues in homeless populations.
In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in homeless shelters, we plan to conduct a project in which bags of items will be distributed to local shelters. These bags will be composed of hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves, which are all items that have been proven to effectively limit transmission of the virus. Accompanying these items, we will distribute flyers providing information about COVID-19. We hope that the flyers will help provide any information that will help individuals understand the virus and their role in its prevention. As a result of this project, we hope to see case numbers decline in the shelters to which we donate materials. Although this is hard to measure, we hope that by providing PPE and information about the virus, more people will begin to wear masks, social distance, and take precautions against the virus. Through that, we hope to see that the homeless population is better protected against COVID-19. Our final product will be a presentation detailing what we accomplished over the course of our project.
As cases of COVID-19 have continued to rise in the US, with a total of 21.7 million cases in the US as of January 8th, 2021 (The New York Times, 2020), it is vital that measures are taken to protect at-risk communities, specifically the homeless population. Shelters are a common area with high levels of disease and virus transmission, mostly due to “living in groups, crowding, environmental stresses, and poor nutrition”(Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Health Care for Homeless People, 1988). Because of this, the homeless have suffered immensely from the effects of the pandemic, with few resources available to treat illnesses or prevent the spread of the virus. To combat this issue, research suggests that public health programs, education, and vaccination are effective interventions against medical issues in homeless populations.
In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in homeless shelters, we plan to conduct a project in which bags of items will be distributed to local shelters. These bags will be composed of hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves, which are all items that have been proven to effectively limit transmission of the virus. Accompanying these items, we will distribute flyers providing information about COVID-19. We hope that the flyers will help provide any information that will help individuals understand the virus and their role in its prevention. As a result of this project, we hope to see case numbers decline in the shelters to which we donate materials. Although this is hard to measure, we hope that by providing PPE and information about the virus, more people will begin to wear masks, social distance, and take precautions against the virus. Through that, we hope to see that the homeless population is better protected against COVID-19. Our final product will be a presentation detailing what we accomplished over the course of our project.
Vaccine Information Campaign
by MAGGIE BRYAN, OLIVIA STOLL & TALIA FELGENHAUER
Purpose Statement
The COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented effects on the United States and is one of the largest, most widespread public health crises ever. Since the arrival of the virus in the United States in the beginning of 2020, there have been 288,000 American deaths and over 15,000,000 cases (CDC 2020). In the midst of the pandemic, Americans have been encouraged to take preventative measures such as wearing a mask, social distancing, and quarantining to prevent the spread of the disease. Local and state mandates have forced many businesses and schools to close. There is no universal treatment for COVID-19, so the world is reliant on a vaccine to resume normal life. Recently a vaccine developed by Pfizer has been approved by the FDA for distribution and administration in the US. However, many Americans (40%) refuse to take the vaccine. An unvaccinated group this large would prevent the country as a whole from achieving herd immunity, causing others to continue to become infected with the virus. Sometimes herd immunity can be reached by contracting the illness and then recovering, but this is not sustainable with covid because it can be deadly, and people are not necessarily immune after contracting the disease.
Since such a large portion of the population is opposed to vaccination in this case, it’s hard to pinpoint a single widespread reason. Different communities such as religious groups and specific demographics have unique beliefs and opinions that influence their trust in a vaccine. We want our project to focus specifically on areas in our community that are the most skeptical about the Covid-19 vaccination. Misinformation stirs fear and anxiety surrounding vaccines and we aim to resolve these misconceptions with accessible facts. We will get in touch with someone working in the healthcare field and, along with our own research, find the regions and populations that tend to be against (or skeptical) about the Pfizer, or other COVID-19, vaccines.
We will conduct our own surveys or interviews to judge the major concerns about vaccines in the community. Finally, people who are pro-vaccines may still find themselves misinformed about what that means for their own health and others. We want to provide information about how to limit the spread of Covid-19 as the vaccinations come in waves. We believe that our project will allow us to assess the sources and effects of misinformation, as well as contributing to building the herd immunity that will suppress the Coronavirus.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented effects on the United States and is one of the largest, most widespread public health crises ever. Since the arrival of the virus in the United States in the beginning of 2020, there have been 288,000 American deaths and over 15,000,000 cases (CDC 2020). In the midst of the pandemic, Americans have been encouraged to take preventative measures such as wearing a mask, social distancing, and quarantining to prevent the spread of the disease. Local and state mandates have forced many businesses and schools to close. There is no universal treatment for COVID-19, so the world is reliant on a vaccine to resume normal life. Recently a vaccine developed by Pfizer has been approved by the FDA for distribution and administration in the US. However, many Americans (40%) refuse to take the vaccine. An unvaccinated group this large would prevent the country as a whole from achieving herd immunity, causing others to continue to become infected with the virus. Sometimes herd immunity can be reached by contracting the illness and then recovering, but this is not sustainable with covid because it can be deadly, and people are not necessarily immune after contracting the disease.
Since such a large portion of the population is opposed to vaccination in this case, it’s hard to pinpoint a single widespread reason. Different communities such as religious groups and specific demographics have unique beliefs and opinions that influence their trust in a vaccine. We want our project to focus specifically on areas in our community that are the most skeptical about the Covid-19 vaccination. Misinformation stirs fear and anxiety surrounding vaccines and we aim to resolve these misconceptions with accessible facts. We will get in touch with someone working in the healthcare field and, along with our own research, find the regions and populations that tend to be against (or skeptical) about the Pfizer, or other COVID-19, vaccines.
We will conduct our own surveys or interviews to judge the major concerns about vaccines in the community. Finally, people who are pro-vaccines may still find themselves misinformed about what that means for their own health and others. We want to provide information about how to limit the spread of Covid-19 as the vaccinations come in waves. We believe that our project will allow us to assess the sources and effects of misinformation, as well as contributing to building the herd immunity that will suppress the Coronavirus.
COVID-19 Policy Arguments
by Ben Jia
Purpose Statement
COVID-19 is a contagious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus which has spread worldwide, causing an ongoing pandemic. Responses to this pandemic across the globe have been wide and varied; outcomes across different countries have had variation of similar magnitude if not necessarily in kind. Due to the novel effect of the internet and social media, following the initial outbreak a great deal of misinformation and disinformation about the pandemic quickly spread, some of which indeed originated from established and reputable sources. I myself was someone who became aware of the situation in late January or early February and quickly became concerned about the subject. Although I make no pretensions to truth, I believe that a great deal of the rhetoric and discussion surrounding the subject is both misinformed and uncharitable to the position of interlocutors.
The purpose of this project is to be as comprehensive a catalogue as possible of reasonable information and arguments regarding various subjects related to the ongoing pandemic, including the effectiveness of various treatments or preventative measures, the effects of different policy responses to the pandemic, the accuracy of related statistics, etc. This is intended to be as thorough as possible in listing actual arguments on multiple sides of each issue, in their strongest possible forms, including both empirical and normative arguments, but the project will not take a neutral stance if it is not warranted by real uncertainty. It is hoped that this project will be of use to those who may not have come across various information and arguments about the subject, regardless of personal position, especially if they seek to understand the position of those who disagree with them.
COVID-19 is a contagious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus which has spread worldwide, causing an ongoing pandemic. Responses to this pandemic across the globe have been wide and varied; outcomes across different countries have had variation of similar magnitude if not necessarily in kind. Due to the novel effect of the internet and social media, following the initial outbreak a great deal of misinformation and disinformation about the pandemic quickly spread, some of which indeed originated from established and reputable sources. I myself was someone who became aware of the situation in late January or early February and quickly became concerned about the subject. Although I make no pretensions to truth, I believe that a great deal of the rhetoric and discussion surrounding the subject is both misinformed and uncharitable to the position of interlocutors.
The purpose of this project is to be as comprehensive a catalogue as possible of reasonable information and arguments regarding various subjects related to the ongoing pandemic, including the effectiveness of various treatments or preventative measures, the effects of different policy responses to the pandemic, the accuracy of related statistics, etc. This is intended to be as thorough as possible in listing actual arguments on multiple sides of each issue, in their strongest possible forms, including both empirical and normative arguments, but the project will not take a neutral stance if it is not warranted by real uncertainty. It is hoped that this project will be of use to those who may not have come across various information and arguments about the subject, regardless of personal position, especially if they seek to understand the position of those who disagree with them.
COVID Song Parody
by YANNICK APEDO & NICK DEMASI
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on communities all over the world, the argument over the effectiveness of masks has continued to be a source of controversy. These arguments stem from the effectiveness of masks, to the restrictions masks have on individual freedoms, to a belief that the coronavirus is not a disease that needs to be taken seriously (Due to the high recovery rate amongst individuals). As of July 2020, it is believed that ̈46% of urban residents, 54% of suburbanites, and two-thirds of rural residents were still not routinely wearing masks when in close proximity to non-household members ̈ (Darling et al., 2020).
Adding to this, due to a lack of real enforcement on guidelines such as mask-wearing and social distancing, many [western] countries have seen returning spikes in cases, and the overflowing of hospitals. In Los Angeles County, it is believed that 1 in 8 people have COVID-19*. Although vaccine distribution has begun in countries such as the United Kingdom and United States, the rate at which vaccines are being released, as well as the frequent cases of vaccine expiration, has slowed the process of potentially slowing the spread of COVID-19, and with a new variant, it is important to remember ways we can protect the most vulnerable in our communities.
Due to these circumstances, we decided to make a song parody that explains why masks are important to wear despite the discomfort and inconvenience they present. We aim for this song parody to increase the usage of masks in our local community to ultimately prevent COVID-19 from spreading rapidly.
Adding to this, due to a lack of real enforcement on guidelines such as mask-wearing and social distancing, many [western] countries have seen returning spikes in cases, and the overflowing of hospitals. In Los Angeles County, it is believed that 1 in 8 people have COVID-19*. Although vaccine distribution has begun in countries such as the United Kingdom and United States, the rate at which vaccines are being released, as well as the frequent cases of vaccine expiration, has slowed the process of potentially slowing the spread of COVID-19, and with a new variant, it is important to remember ways we can protect the most vulnerable in our communities.
Due to these circumstances, we decided to make a song parody that explains why masks are important to wear despite the discomfort and inconvenience they present. We aim for this song parody to increase the usage of masks in our local community to ultimately prevent COVID-19 from spreading rapidly.
Non-Discrimination Statement:
The Chapel Hill – Carrboro Board of Education, therefore the Career and Technical Education Department, prohibits discrimination, harassment, or bullying based on protected classifications that include, but are not limited to, the following: race, creed, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, class, socioeconomics, ethnicity, sexual orientation, cognitive/physical ability, diverse language fluency, religion, status as an English Language Learner, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, immigration status, genetic makeup, or any classification or characteristic protected by state or federal law or regulation, or by this policy. The Board further prohibits discrimination against a person perceived to have any of the above characteristics or against a person for associating with someone protected by this policy. Individuals who wish to file a discrimination, harassment, and/or Title 9 complaint may call the Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator: Brandy Reeves Chief of Staff and School Leadership [email protected]
Declaración de no discriminación:
La Consejo de Administración de Chapel Hill y Carrboro, por lo tanto, el Departamento de Educación Técnica y Profesional, prohíbe la discriminación, acoso o intimidación basado en clasificaciones protegidas que incluyen, pero no se limitan a, lo siguiente: raza, credo, color, nacionalidad, género, identidad de género, clase, clase socioeconómica, origen étnico, orientación sexual, capacidad cognitiva / física, fluidez lingüística diversa, religión, aprendiz del idioma inglés, estado civil, embarazo, paternidad, estado migratorio, composición genética o cualquier clasificación o característica protegida por la ley o regulación estatal o federal, o por esta política. El Consejo también prohíbe la discriminación contra una persona que se percibe que tiene cualquiera de las características anteriores o contra una persona por asociarse con alguien protegido por esta política. Las personas que deseen presentar una queja por discriminación, acoso y/o Título 9 pueden llamar al Coordinador de Cumplimiento de Derechos Civiles: Brandy Reeves, Jefe de personal y liderazgo escolar, al [email protected]
The Chapel Hill – Carrboro Board of Education, therefore the Career and Technical Education Department, prohibits discrimination, harassment, or bullying based on protected classifications that include, but are not limited to, the following: race, creed, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, class, socioeconomics, ethnicity, sexual orientation, cognitive/physical ability, diverse language fluency, religion, status as an English Language Learner, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, immigration status, genetic makeup, or any classification or characteristic protected by state or federal law or regulation, or by this policy. The Board further prohibits discrimination against a person perceived to have any of the above characteristics or against a person for associating with someone protected by this policy. Individuals who wish to file a discrimination, harassment, and/or Title 9 complaint may call the Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator: Brandy Reeves Chief of Staff and School Leadership [email protected]
Declaración de no discriminación:
La Consejo de Administración de Chapel Hill y Carrboro, por lo tanto, el Departamento de Educación Técnica y Profesional, prohíbe la discriminación, acoso o intimidación basado en clasificaciones protegidas que incluyen, pero no se limitan a, lo siguiente: raza, credo, color, nacionalidad, género, identidad de género, clase, clase socioeconómica, origen étnico, orientación sexual, capacidad cognitiva / física, fluidez lingüística diversa, religión, aprendiz del idioma inglés, estado civil, embarazo, paternidad, estado migratorio, composición genética o cualquier clasificación o característica protegida por la ley o regulación estatal o federal, o por esta política. El Consejo también prohíbe la discriminación contra una persona que se percibe que tiene cualquiera de las características anteriores o contra una persona por asociarse con alguien protegido por esta política. Las personas que deseen presentar una queja por discriminación, acoso y/o Título 9 pueden llamar al Coordinador de Cumplimiento de Derechos Civiles: Brandy Reeves, Jefe de personal y liderazgo escolar, al [email protected]