Since the shutdowns began in March, everyone has been struggling to figure out how they are going to manage their lives in a pandemic; trying to maintain a sense of normalcy in uncertain times. Everyone has seen their lives change this year, whether they’ve lost a loved one due to the virus, lost their job or were furloughed, the loss of connection to others, or just the decline of one’s mental health. It has been a very difficult year, which is why we decided to highlight some good news about women from around the world who are working to combat the virus in whatever shape or form. These women are essential, working to not only help improve the lives of others, but also being shining examples of the ingenuity of women and their impacts in technology.
Here’s a list of women who are making a difference to fight against the Coronavirus:
Geetha Manjunath, CEO and Founder of Niramai, India
Niramai is a healthcare startup that uses thermal imaging through an AI to detect breast cancer. With people second guessing coming into hospitals because they’re scared of contracting the virus, Niramai decided to use their technology for non-emergencies and install their technology into scanning machines to detect fevers in outdoor spaces, without requiring the patient to enter an office. Their goal is to use automated screenings on groups of people to detect fevers, COVID-19, and other respiratory diseases, which reduces the use of clinical testing in public spaces.
Website: https://www.niramai.com/
Anggia Prasetyoputri and Latifah Nurahmi, Scientists, Indonesia
Anggia and Latifah both focused their research on the on-going effects of the virus to come up with solutions to help future patients having to deal with the lasting effects. Anggia conducted research on bacterial coinfections in COVID-19 patients after realizing that people weakened by the virus were susceptible to other pathogens. She quickly found a way to identify coinfections, helping doctors to prescribe the right treatments for their patients. Latifah’s research was in robotics, where she developed a system that could reduce physical contact between doctors and patients. They have both received the 2020 L’Oréal-UNESCO National Fellowship For Women in Science (FWIS) from L’Oréal Indonesia to continue their research.
Julia Cheek, CEO and Co-Founder of Everlywell, USA
Everlywell is a digital health startup that provides at-home medical testing kits and lab results, changing the diagnostics industry. They offer over 30+ testing kits for applications ranging from food sensitivity to allergy tests, and they’ve just recently released an at-home testing kit for COVID-19. This makes it easier for people to have access to a test without having to wait for in-person testing – you can collect your sample at home and have it shipped for free, getting a digital test result within 24-48hours. There’s also a telehealth consultant that can help you through these steps if you need additional help.
Website: https://www.everlywell.com/products/covid-19-test/
Lisa Love, CMO and Co-Founder of Tanoshi, USA
Helping to bridge the digital divide, Tanoshi is a company that aims to give every child the opportunity to develop 21st Century computer skills needed to succeed in this world. They help lower income households and school districts gain access to computers to help give these kids the same opportunities as those from more affluent families and school districts. This is important with schools being forced to close down and the uncertainty of whether kids go back in person or have school online due to COVID-19. Giving all kids access to technology will help make sure no child is unprepared to succeed in a world that is moving more and more to technology.
Website: https://tanoshikidscomputers.com/
Renee Dua, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Heal, USA
Heal is a telemedicine online startup that connects millions of Americans that have lost their health insurance along with jobs due to COVID-19 to Primary Care doctors online. They operate by having a monthly fixed fee, which eliminates the need for co-pays, deductibles, and insurance altogether, but they still take it if you have it. Patients are offered two ways to get convenient care, either by scheduling a doctor to come visit you at home or scheduling an appointment via video call. Both are safe adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines from the CDC.
Website: https://heal.com/
Thanks to these women’s contributions to combat the virus, our world is closer to overcoming this pandemic. Their innovations also show how beneficial it is to get more women into STEM/STEAM, where their perspectives on how to tackle the virus lead to more ideas on how to solve other problems all over the world.
