COVID-19 has impacted millions of people across our nation and all sectors of our economy. Since the beginning of the pandemic, TechNet member companies have provided access to supercomputers to speed the discovery of treatments and a vaccine, shifted their production lines to make tens of millions of face shields and masks, built more than 30,000 ventilators, and donated teleconference equipment to hospitals for telehealth visits so healthcare could continue uninterrupted.
As America continued to combat the pandemic, tech companies added thousands of jobs to our economy, provided training for more than 25 million people worldwide to obtain needed digital skills, launched initiatives so Americans can acquire job training and career certificates, established a way for more than 10 million small businesses to obtain Paycheck Protection Program loans, and supplied connectivity and videoconferencing platforms for businesses and schools. Now, tech is working to ensure safety at our country’s restaurants, provide grants to keep businesses open, and guarantee a reliable vaccine management solution. Read more on how tech is working to combat COVID-19 below.
Tech Works To Combat COVID-19
Research Collaboration COVID-19 Cloud Testing Platform has Potential to Help Beyond Pandemic (Microsoft)
The Healthcare Bot is used by the Centers for Disease Control to help screen people for potential COVID-19 infection and treatment.
Accenture Launches Vaccine Management Solution to Support COVID-19 (Accenture)
Accenture announced a vaccine management solution to help government and healthcare organizations rapidly and effectively plan and develop COVID-19 vaccination programs and related distribution and communication initiatives.
New ‘CLEAR’ App Screens Restaurant Employees to Ensure Safety for Customers (CLEAR)
CLEAR’s new app ensures safety at restaurants amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Google’s Response to COVID-19 (Google)
The COVID-19 outbreak is taking a devastating toll on lives and communities. To help those affected, Google is supporting and scaling effective solutions throughout the course of this pandemic — from immediate relief to long-term recovery and future preparedness.
Lyft Expands its Health Safety Program, Strengthening Commitment to Driver Safety (Lyft)
What’s New in Tech
Olympian Turned Bakery Owner Shares Her Race Against COVID-19 to Keep Her Family Business Alive (PayPal)
Jeanette Bolden-Pickens had applied for several different loans but found the process needlessly difficult. “I was on the phone for hours, and then I had a website crash on me when I was about to finish an application. When I finally had it up and running again, it was after the deadline and they wouldn’t accept [my application].” Discouraged, she had almost given up on loan applications, until a fellow small business owner pointed her to the PayPal Empowerment Grant. Read more here.
What We’re Saying
· California Privacy Ballot Measure Prop 24 Passes. (Protocol) Read the news feature here.
· Tech Warns H-1B Rules Will Push Business Abroad. (Law360) Read the news feature here.
Before You Start Your Weekend
Producing music from concept to completion, all while remote. Using Dell laptops allows teams to produce the final product while apart. We follow a piece of music from Ames, a Los Angeles-based recording artist, to her producer Neek and ending with the mixing of the tracks and mastering for publishing by David Burris. (Dell)