Answering
the Call L SU’ S R E SP ONSE TO COV ID -1 9
T
he disease caused by the novel coronavirus began as “2019nCoV.” In February, the World Health Organization named it “COVID19.” As the months have passed and the public has grown more and more familiar with it, now it’s just known as “the pandemic.” Call it what you want, SARS-CoV-2 has dramatically altered life for our students, faculty, and patients. And the pandemic itself will likely last for months with after-effects lasting for years. In times of crisis there are always frontline workers—women and men who take on the responsibility to protect the rest of us. This crisis is no different.
As leaders in education, treatment and research, we are uniquely positioned to lead the effort to protect the Greater New Orleans community. LSU Health is taking the responsibility seriously. We are pivoting to attack
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the problem head-on, focusing our resources and expertise on the coronavirus pandemic. Our efforts focus on three areas: testing, research and treatment. The education leaders, teachers, GME leaders and all of their support staff at the School of Medicine have demonstrated remarkable dedication to the missions of the school throughout this troubling time. Researchers have quickly seized the moment to design protocols with experimental medications and convalescent serum, to develop tests, to study COVID pathology and to learn about its pathogenesis. But none of this is effective without the financial support of the LSU Health Foundation, New Orleans and our network of corporate and individual supporters. To support these critical projects, the Foundation has introduced the Coronavirus Response Effort. Traditional funding sources can be slow and accelerating the financial support
