Guaranteeing Safety for the Vulnerable, Educating the Next Generation
In an unprecedented collaboration, the University of Rochester and the Mary Cariola Center joined forces to combat the spread of COVID-19 among students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This unique partnership, which brought together a team of experts including a neuroscientist, virologist, nephrologist, and school leadership, aimed to understand how an airborne virus could travel through buildings, hallways, and classrooms.
The project, funded by the NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics-Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program, utilised hundreds of models to simulate various scenarios and identify effective strategies for mitigating the spread of the virus. The data collected by this study could change how organisations respond to airborne viruses in settings that support the IDD community in the future.
One of the key findings of the project was that protocols and procedures, such as onsite and mobile COVID testing, could significantly reduce the transmission of the virus. According to Karen Zand, president and CEO of the Mary Cariola Center, COVID testing was crucial to keeping schools open for students with severe IDDs and complex medical needs.
The project, which involved a team of senior scientists, including John, Steve, and Martin, led by Martin Zand and Christopher Seplaki, met regularly over Zoom to respond quickly and adjust to the fluidity of studying an evolving virus within a school. Ann Dozier, the chair of Public Health Sciences, led community engagement for the project.
The availability of testing was vital in the project, as it allowed for immediate identification of positive cases and asymptomatic individuals. The project lessened the burden of illness on staff and parents, as they could quickly test and get results, easing concerns about sending children to school.
In April 2020, the University of Rochester received a new designation from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as one of about a dozen Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRC) in the country. This designation, combined with the University's academic Medical Center's size and the existing relationship between the Neuroscience community at the University and the Mary Cariola Center, were key factors in the project's success.
A study in the journal of Disability and Health reported that a non-vaccinated person with an IDD is four times more likely to contract COVID-19 and eight times more likely to die from the virus than someone without an IDD. The project collected data on antibody levels within the Mary Cariola Center community, including from vaccinations and illness, to react to an ever-changing environment.
The project, which took on a $4 million budget, formed an unlikely team to navigate the pandemic and keep schools open for vulnerable students. The success of this collaboration could pave the way for future collaborations between educational and healthcare institutions and specialized centres like the Mary Cariola Center, aimed at ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students with IDD during times of crisis.
- The collaboration between the University of Rochester and the Mary Cariola Center focused on combating the spread of COVID-19 in students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
- The project, funded by the NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics-Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program, utilized hundreds of models to study the transmission of the virus in various scenarios.
- The data collected by this study could change the way organizations respond to airborne viruses in settings that support the IDD community.
- One of the key findings was that protocols like onsite and mobile COVID testing significantly reduced the transmission of the virus.
- COVID testing was crucial for students with severe IDDs and complex medical needs, according to Karen Zand.
- The project was led by a team of senior scientists, including John, Steve, and Martin, and involved regular meetings over Zoom.
- Ann Dozier led community engagement for the project, while Martin Zand and Christopher Seplaki also played significant roles.
- The availability of testing allowed for immediate identification of positive cases and asymptomatic individuals, lessening the burden on staff and parents.
- In April 2020, the University of Rochester was designated as one of a dozen Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRC) in the country.
- A study in the journal of Disability and Health found that a non-vaccinated person with an IDD is four times more likely to contract COVID-19 and eight times more likely to die from it than someone without an IDD.
- The project collected data on antibody levels within the Mary Cariola Center community to react to an ever-changing environment.
- The project, with a budget of $4 million, formed an unlikely team to navigate the pandemic and keep schools open for vulnerable students.
- The success of this collaboration could pave the way for future collaborations between educational and healthcare institutions and specialized centers like the Mary Cariola Center.
- These collaborations could ensure the safety and wellbeing of students with IDD during times of crisis.
- Apart from the focus on IDD and COVID-19, the collaboration also touched upon various aspects of health and wellness, including fitness and exercise, mental health, and nutritional education.
- The collaboration's impact extends to other areas such as skin care, cardiovascular health, and aging, demonstrating the wide-reaching benefits of interdisciplinary cooperation in healthcare and education.
