On April 21, Dou Xiankang, the President of Wuhan University (WHU), shared the experience of fighting against COVID-19 with his counterpart Micheal V. Drake from Ohio State University (OSU) during a video conference. Other participants included Tang Qizhu, Vice President of WHU, Chen Xiaopei, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases from Renmin Hospital East Branch, Gail Marsh, Senior Vice President of Ohio State University, and Gil Latz, Vice Provost of international strategies and affairs.
During the conference, President Dou summarized WHU’s practices in combating COVID-19, hoping WHU’s precedents could prepare the path for best practice later. In the face of the globally spreading pandemic, WHU actively contributes its due share by assuming responsibility for medical treatment, offering technological supports in all aspects, and extensively mobilizing its alumni to make concerted efforts to fight against COVID-19. Based on the student-oriented principle, WHU managed to launch various online courses so as to guarantee the continuation of teaching and learning.
“We are planning to conduct nuclear acid tests with all students on return to school, monitor their temperature three times a day, and add sanitary facilities to keep every student safe and sound,” President Dou said. Meanwhile, he announced that a specific management plan was being prepared given the potential risks presented by people gathering when classes resume. The reopening process in WHU will vary based on level and faculty, thereby preventing large groups from coming together as much as possible. The university will endeavor to assure students a comfortable academic environment while guaranteeing their health.
At this moment, the epidemic appears to be overall under control in China, while imported cases and asymptomatic patients remain threats to public health. President Dou explicated that most Chinese wear face masks in public areas to better prevent asymptomatic carriers from spreading the virus unknowingly, and thereby effectively stymie the transmission. That is why WHU donated 10,000 face masks to OSU.
The two universities have been cooperating on research and talent cultivation for the past four decades. When Wuhan was at its worst time during the COVID-19 epidemic, alumni of WHU in Ohio State donated myriads of materials and funds to aid their alma mater. Now, as Ohio faces an increasingly severe situation in combating the epidemic, WHU reciprocally donated 5,000 N95 respirators and surgical masks respectively to assist OSU and the WHU Alumni Association in Ohio to curb the spread of COVID-19.
President Micheal V. Drake extended his heartfelt appreciation toWHU for sharing its invaluable experience and reflection on combating the COVID-19 outbreak. He said that OSU will adopt those recommendations and he sincerely hoped both sides could make joint efforts to overcome this arduous period together.
Rewritten by Jiang Chiheng
Edited by Li Yushan, Sylvia and Hu Sijia
Source:https://news.whu.edu.cn/info/1002/59776.htm?from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0
