by Nick Thomas

What could convince a 90-year-old actress – once a model for Disney animators creating the Tinker Bell character of 1953’s “Peter Pan” – to abandon her West Coast home of nine decades and fly off to a new life in Florida some 2,500 miles away?
Perhaps a sprinkle of Disney magical fairy dust was involved when World War II veteran Robert Boeke, now 94, was visiting Amsterdam last summer with friends and stumbled on a store sign for “Tinker Bell Toys.”
“He told the people in the group he had actually dated Tinker Bell – me! – 70 years ago,” explained former model Margaret Kerry by phone from her new home in Sarasota. “One of the people with him decided to find me.”
An internet search led to Kerry’s website, Tinker Bell Talks (see www.tinkerbelltalks.com). Emails were sent and Kerry remembered dating him. The two eventually reconnected last September in North Carolina, followed by marriage in February and the move to Florida soon after.
“We just celebrated our four-month anniversary,” said Kerry when we spoke in mid-June. “And we haven’t yelled at or kicked each other.”
“Well, it’s early in the marriage,” I told her wryly.
“Thank you very much, I’m hanging up right now!” she said, laughing.
Kerry’s film career began at the age of four in an uncredited role in Warners’ “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1935) playing – as if to foretell her future – one of the fairies.
I remember it clearly because one of the big studio lights caught fire and Mickey Rooney, who played Puck, dragged me into this little 2” deep stream on the set so I’d be safe from any flames.”
More roles came her way, including a half-dozen “Our Gang” (aka “The Little Rascals”) shorts, although as a member of the Meglin Kiddies troupe of child performers, she received no individual screen credit on some.
Her claim to fairy fame came in her early 20s as the model for Disney’s Tinker Bell. She also modeled for the red-headed mermaid in “Peter Pan” and did her voice.
“June Foray was the brunette mermaid,” recalled Kerry. “One day after a recording session we stepped out on the Disney lot. ‘Why are we trying to get in front of the camera to be actors?’ we asked each other. We realized voice-over work was heavenly because we didn’t have to put on make-up, fix our hair, or get dressed up. And we could read from scripts – no lines to memorize. We both decided right there to go into voice-over acting. June became one of the most famous (eg Rocky of ‘Rocky and Bullwinkle’) and I went on to do about 600 cartoon voice-overs.”
Although it’s been nearly 70 years since Kerry’s famous fairy job, her tiny winged alter ego has never been far away especially during the numerous fan conventions she’s attended for decades. She plans to continue giving talks and lectures.
“Tinker Bell and I share some characteristics – we’re perky and adventurous,” says Kerry, who turned 91 in May. “I think getting married and moving to Florida after living 90 years in California counts as an adventure!”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 800 newspapers and magazines.

Wearing face masks, combined with other preventive measures such as frequent handwashing and social distancing, can help slow the spread of the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone over the age of two wear a mask while in public settings. However, there has been much debate about wearing masks and misinformation has spread online. Let’s clear the air about the most common misconceptions regarding masks.
Myth: I’m not sick so I don’t need to wear a mask.
Fact: Simply put, wearing a cloth mask helps decrease the spread of COVID-19. Research now has shown that a significant number of people with COVID-19 lack symptoms. These people do not know they are transmitting the virus to others when they talk, sneeze, cough or raise their voice (e.g. singing or shouting). Wearing a mask helps to lower the transmission of respiratory droplets to other people around you. You should wear a mask to protect others and they should wear masks to protect you.
Myth: Wearing a cloth mask does not protect me from getting COVID-19.
Fact: A cloth mask is worn to help protect others in case you have the virus. Countries that required face masks, testing, isolation and social distancing early in the pandemic have had success slowing the disease’s spread. Common sense also suggests that some protection is better than none. Cloth masks reduce the number of respiratory droplets a person releases into the air when talking, sneezing or coughing. The overall number of droplets in the air is reduced when more people wear masks and this reduces your risk of being exposed to COVID-19.
Myth: A face mask can actually make me more likely to catch COVID-19.
Fact: While some people may touch their face more often when wearing a mask, it’s possible to reduce infection risk with good hygiene. Be sure to wash hands frequently, wash your cloth mask after wearing and know how to properly put on and remove your mask. You can learn more by reviewing guidance on how to wear and care for cloth face coverings.
Myth: Wearing a mask will increase the amount of carbon dioxide I breathe and will make me sick.
Fact: Some people have heard that breathing in CO2 from wearing a mask can cause symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, headache and shortness of breath. However, the amount of CO2 created by wearing a mask is miniscule. For many years, health care providers have worn masks for extended periods of time with no adverse health reactions. The CDC recommends wearing cloth masks while in public and this option is very breathable. There is no risk of hypoxia, which is lower oxygen levels, in healthy adults. Carbon dioxide will freely diffuse through your mask as you breathe. If you feel uncomfortable in your mask, try to limit your talking and breathe through your nose. That will reduce the humidity level in your mask. Be aware that once a mask gets wet (perhaps from exhalation), it begins to lose its effectiveness and will need to be washed or replaced.
Myth: If I’m wearing a mask, I don’t need to practice social distancing.
Fact: The CDC recommends widespread use of simple cloth face coverings to help prevent transmission of COVID-19 by people who have the virus but don’t know it. But it’s not a substitute for physical distancing. Everyone should continue to practice recommended behaviors such as:
* Keep your physical distance: Six feet or about two arms’ lengths apart from other people.
* Limit in-person meetings.
* Wash your hands with soap often.
* Stay home if you do not feel well.
* Get a test if you have COVID -19 symptoms. Call your local health care provider to schedule a test.
* Self-isolate if you have been around someone who is sick or tested positive.
As the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow in Oklahoma, using a mask is still among the best methods to prevent community spread.
This item was prepared and sent by INTEGRIS.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn [email protected]

While going down memory lane last month I mentioned my interaction with the greatness of performances in persons of: Joshua Bell, Carol Channing, the original Mummers theater, Ethel Merman, Ben Vereen, Bernadette Peters, John Lithgow, Audra McDonald, Patti LuPone and Steven Sondheim.
If you missed last months issue you can find it here: https://okveterannews.com/020915/travel-entertainment-entertainment-in-the-presence-of-greatness-part-one
Let me continual sharing my harvesting of good times with more performers , that seeing them in person gives one comfort. With so many live performances in theater and concerts on hold perhaps you too, can recall the rewarding live theater times meaningful to you.
On Broadway I got a glimpse of the iconic King of “King and I” when going back stage to visit with the Oklahoma Actor playing the child, my eyes and Yul Brenner made a connection. His steely glare can not be forgotten, when his dressing room door was slightly ajar.
Worthy of including among notable stage performers is Oklahoma’s own Florence Birdwell. As a professor at Oklahoma City University she created a formal one woman show of pop and theater songs intersperse with humorous readings. Her ten formal concerts at O.C.U. in the 1980s are legendary as the sold out audiences for a two night run can a test. Florence is one of a kind performer and person. Her teaching techniques are known not only for singing techniques but for personal growth where she council-ed her developing college students to a more satisfying and productive life.
One of her students was Kelli O’Hara who went on to be nominated for a Tony for her performance at the Lincoln Center production of “Light in the Piazza” and for “South Pacific.” She did capture the tony for her Anna in the King and I. Besides scripted shows she once gave a witness in song and stories at the O.C.U. Chapel – with a previous Master Class on campus. She also performed with Florence and a number of OCU/Birdwell alumni in one of Florence’s one woman formal show on the OCU campus. Kelli is a rare performer and person who sincerely cares for her followers and gives them the courteous attention they long for. This can not be said for all celebrity performers.
Barbara Fox De Maio also a Birdwell student is a celebrated international opera performer and currently the founder of the Prairie Sky Opera Company here in Oklahoma City. She credits Birdwell with life affirming support and guidance during her under graduate years, as she too passes on her knowledge through teaching.
Broadway Tony nominated Lara Teeter has gone on to teach at several universities, currently in Webster Missouri, where he lives with wife and 3 children, as well as giving freely of his directorial talents with personal Master Classes. Of course when teaching so many students over the decades, the list of successful graduates is long, and Miss American Susan Powell, must be included in in that list. This is an example of greatness producing greatness in others.
Sometimes greatness need not be on a performers stage, as in the case with Oklahoma artist, Harold Stevenson. Recently passing in Idabel Oklahoma his home town, Harold is remembered in a rare retrospective exhibit at the Museum of the Red River in Idabel. The show closes on August 23, so call head to make sure the Museum is open and welcoming visitors. www.museumoftheredriver.org
One can not move on in recognition of the behind the scenes producers of talent and performing arts. One such greatness is personification in the OCU Ann Lacy School of Dance with Jo Rowan and John Bedford in guiding, supporting and creating well known dancers. Their bi yearly shows are always an amazement on creativity, and life as well as dance – affirming exhibitions.
Of course my salutation of greatness is a personal evaluation. I encourage you if unfamiliar with my nominees to look them up on GOOGLE. It would also be a great honor if you recalled the persons you have known throughout the years, and contacted them with your gratitude.

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=terry+zinn
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=zinn
http://new.okveterannews.com/?s=TERRY+ZINN
www.martinitravels.com

For most people, sunshine and warming temperatures serve as welcome heralds of summer. But for Renita Lewis, they can trigger life-threatening disease flares.
“People say, ‘You look too good to be sick,’” said Lewis, 51, of Midwest City. But Lewis, a nurse, suffers from lupus, an autoimmune illness that strikes African Americans like her at disproportionate rates.
Lupus occurs when the immune system becomes unbalanced, leading to the development of antibodies and chronic inflammation that damage the body’s organs and tissues. Sufferers experience periodic disease flares, affecting organs that can include the kidneys, lungs, skin and joints, as well as the cardiovascular system.
According to the Lupus Foundation of America, more than 1.5 million Americans suffer from the disease. Studies have found that it strikes African Americans at roughly five times the rate it affects European Americans.
“We still have a great deal to learn about why African-American women are at greater risk of lupus and at greater risk for major organ damage and early death from lupus than other races,” said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Vice President of Research Judith James, M.D., Ph.D.
“We have investigators who are working on genetic and genomic factors, as well as our work which has focused on differences in the body’s major defense system—the immune system. In all likelihood, it’s probably a complicated combination of these factors, and we will keep working until we figure this out.”
Lewis’ first symptoms appeared when she was in her 20s: aching muscles, swollen fingers, skin rashes. But she wasn’t diagnosed until a decade later, by which time she also suffered from shortness of breath, fatigue, asthma, stomach issues and inflammation around her heart. “I don’t have kidney problems, but pretty much every other one of my organs is affected,” she said.
She began daily doses of prednisone, hydroxychloroquine, aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications to control her symptom. Still, over time, lupus has exacted an increasing toll on her body. In March, after a bout of pericarditis—swelling of the membrane surrounding her heart—hospitalized her, she was forced to take short-term disability until she’s well enough to return to work.
For more than a decade, physicians and clinical staff at OMRF, which has been named 1 of only 10 of the nation’s Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence by the National Institutes of Health, have helped Lewis manage her condition. “They’re on the cutting edge of research, especially on autoimmune disease, and they really care about me and want me to have as normal a life as possible,” Lewis said.
As a lupus patient and a healthcare professional, Lewis is happy to participate in research studies on the disease at OMRF. “By donating blood and taking part in studies, I hope I can help researchers develop new treatments,” she said. If scientists are able to understand why it exacts such a heavy toll on African Americans, she said, “That would be a total game-changer.”
In a study published in May in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, an OMRF research team led by James moved closer to answering this question.
The scientists found that African Americans with certain risk factors for lupus had elevated activation levels in T cells, which are known to be important in lupus. Meanwhile, European Americans with similar risk factors did not. That may be a reason at-risk African Americans are more likely to develop the disease, said OMRF’s Samantha Slight-Webb, Ph.D., lead author on the study. And the findings could prove key to helping allay the suffering of patients like Lewis.
“Identifying this protective T-cell response could be pivotal in identifying therapeutic targets and potential drugs that may prevent people from transitioning into the disease,” said Slight-Webb. “It would also help us look at drugs—and dosages—differently based on ethnicity to improve outcomes for African-American patients, who are at highest risk for severe disease.”
Lewis would welcome any findings that could help improve her quality of life. Still, she’s more interested in developments that could benefit her daughter, Taraya, 19.
Lewis’ only child, Taraya previously tested positive for antinuclear antibodies, or ANA, an indicator of lupus activity. Taraya also has several relatives on her father’s side with the disease. “So, when she says she doesn’t feel good, I worry,” said Lewis.
Like all mothers, Lewis wants more than anything to protect her child. “If researchers could find a way to prevent lupus from starting, that would be a dream,” she said. “I never want my daughter to go through this.”

For information on treatment or participating in one of OMRF’s studies or trials, please call (405) 271-7745 or email [email protected].

Join the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden every Thursday evening through August 13, from 6 to 10 p.m., for Sip & Stroll presented by Will & Wiley Hard Seltzer, 1800 Tequila, Kraken Rum and Bubly Sparkling Water. Guests 21-and-older, limited to 900 guests per night, are invited to explore an outdoor path that spans almost the entire Zoo to discover wondrous wildlife along the way.
While strolling through the Zoo, guests may stop and cool off at one of six water holes to experience featured drinks inspired by animals and habitats from around the world including Belize, Rwanda and India. Guests will also have an opportunity to learn what the Zoo is doing to protect and preserve the natural world through global conservation partnerships with the International Rhino Foundation, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Turtle Survival Alliance and more, and how they can help conserve wildlife and wild places.
The full menu of culinary favorites will be available for purchase at Best of Oklahoma and Big Rock BBQ, as well as selections from a special outdoor grill at the Devon picnic grounds overlooking Zoo Lake.
“We are thrilled to re-open the Zoo’s gates and provide grown-ups with an exclusive opportunity to reconnect with friends and wildlife from around the world,” said Jenna Zeilstra, OKC Zoo’s manager of events. “Spanning over 100 acres, the Zoo provides ample space for social distancing and adventure for Sip & Stroll’s nightly limit of 900 guests.”
Additionally, the Zoo is proud to partner with Fertile Ground who will be on-site for each Sip & Stroll to ensure this is a zero-waste event series.
Sip & Stroll admission is $17 per person and tickets are now available at okczoo.org/sipandstroll. Event entry times are spaced every 15 minutes to allow for maximum social distancing. After scheduled checked in, guests are free to stay through the duration of the event, 10 p.m. Attendees can also pre-purchase a Drink Passport good for one 5-oz featured drink sample at all six water holes for an additional $27 per person. Additional beverages will be available for purchase, including domestic beer, wine, mixed drinks, soda and water. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Sip & Stroll is a rain or shine event.
Adventure awaits with Sip & Stroll this summer at the OKC Zoo! The Oklahoma City Zoo is open daily at 8 a.m. and advance tickets are required for all guests and ZOOfriends members. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.okczoo.org/tickets and are limited each day to ensure adequate social distancing between guests. Some of the Zoo’s indoor habitat are still closed to minimize potential transmission of COVID-19. The Zoo is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. now through Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2020.
Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Regular admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay up-to-date with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and by visiting Our Stories. Zoo fans can support the OKC Zoo by becoming Oklahoma Zoological Society members at ZOOfriends.org. To learn more about these and other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.

by Ron Hendricks

I am sorry to announce the loss of our beloved Hearing Helpers Demonstration Room. It was closed as of the first of June 2020.
After 22 years, Integris decided to discontinue our association for a variety of reasons, including budget concerns and COVID19. The HHR was filled with important hearing assistive technology to help those of us with hearing loss live better at home and work. Countless people visited through the years and our volunteers helped each one.
We are now looking for another major benefactor. If you know of such a possible sponsor, a beneficent corporation or individual please let us know.
We hope to restart monthly meetings in September so please stay tuned.
In other news your Hearing Loss Association of America Central Oklahoma Chapter (HLAA COC) is still working to assist Oklahomans with hearing loss to live successfully in a hearing world. Our scholarship program is still in full swing. For the fifth year n a row we have awarded scholarships to Oklahoma students with hearing loss. This year we awarded three scholarships for $1,500 each. We hope to do the same next year. The drive to equip public gathering spaces through Hearing Loops, is still on-going.
We are an all volunteer run 501 C(3) organization with no paid officers.
Check out our Facebook page @HLAA CentralOklahomaChapter (Note, there is a space between words HLAA & Central and no other spaces. The current page is the one with a green state of Oklahoma logo) and visit our website: OklahomaHearingLoss.org.
The Hearing Loss Association of America Central Oklahoma Chapter is a 501(c) 3 tax exempt organization. Out Chapter is run entirely by volunteer, there are no paid positions. [the HLAA hopes to open the world of communication to people who have a hearing loss by providing information, education, support and advocacy.]

is once again recognized as the #1 hospital in the state and the #1 hospital in the Oklahoma City metro area by U.S. News & World Report. The 2020-21 rankings were just released to the public today.
INTEGRIS was the sole recipient to be named the Best Hospital in Central Oklahoma and the Best Hospital in the Oklahoma City Metro area, but we share the distinction of the Best Hospital in Oklahoma with St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa.
INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center was recognized as High Performing in five different adult procedures and conditions including colon cancer surgery, heart failure, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, aortic value surgery and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The annual U.S. News rankings are widely reported and are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care. We take great pride in the fact that we have earned this honor multiple times and appreciate the continued acknowledgment and support from the communities we serve.

I’d been putting it off for months but, once my health club reopened, I saw the fancy, digital scale still tucked in the locker room corner and realized I had no choice. I shed my clothes, climbed on and sucked in my stomach while waiting for the numbers to appear.
It read 203, a 6-pound gain since my last club visit in, uh, wait a minute … March? April? All I remember is that snow was still on the ground.
Much like first-year college students must grapple with the freshmen 15, a 15-pound weight gain typically attributed to late night pizza orders, dime beer specials and unlimited dorm cafeteria desserts, “the COVID 15” has become part of our physiques. And, as states retreat from their reopenings, forcing us back into our homes where a television, a couch and a giant bowl of French Onion potato chips await, we can do one of two things:
A. Start that rigorous home exercise program we should have begun in mid-March
B. Become more creative in our excuses for weight gain.
If you chose B, allow me to comfort you with these five reasons your pants fit about as well as the glove OJ Simpson tried to force over his hand during his murder trial:
1. Masks add weight. If you stepped on a scale, yet were simultaneously practicing social distancing, you wore a mask, am I right? I said, AM I RIGHT? Subtract a few pounds for that. True, my mask weighs less than an ounce; but I didn’t bedazzle it with slogans, sequins and the like. Those additions add unnecessary pounds. It’s not your fault you gained weight. Blame Dr. Fauci.
2. You didn’t know which products would be in short supply. Remember when we were fighting with one another over toilet paper? When we left the store with not one container of anti-bacterial wipes but an entire pallet? You became anxious, correct? You started wondering what else might disappear from grocery shelves and never return. It could be M&Ms. Or peanut butter. Or that heavenly, buttery toffee you only treat yourself to at Christmas time. So, during that Costco run, you purchased the industrial sized container of all three. Then you went home and consumed all of it because, “If I die during this quarantine, at least I’ll die happy.” Good for you!
3. Repairmen are booked solid. It’s true, the coronavirus has made it harder to find a technician willing to come out, promptly, and service those vital appliances like air conditioners, dishwashers, washing machines and, perish the thought, refrigerators. Suppose your trusty fridge decided to die when it was housing the dozen cartons of Ben & Jerry’s you purchased? (See No. 2 for why you made that purchase). That’s why you ate the ice cream so quickly; you hate wasting food.
4. The Food Network. Leave it to this easy-to-find cable channel to expand our waistlines during quarantine. Don’t Food Network executives realize that more than 10% of this country is out of work and has nothing to do except watch “Ridiculous Cakes,” “Girl Scout Cookie Championship” and “The Three Chocolatiers”? And take notes? We may no longer be able to see our shoes when we emerge from quarantine, but we can take comfort knowing we became avid Girl Scout supporters.
5. Liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries. Both were deemed “essential” businesses by most states once it became necessary to decide which types of establishments to shutter during quarantine. That left millions unable to see a doctor for routine wellness checks or incapable of getting their hair cut for that upcoming Zoom job interview but able to get drunk, high and, subsequently, hungry at any moment. If your liquor or weed consumption spiked during the pandemic, it’s your governor’s doing.
So, you see? It’s not your fault you’re an overweight, slovenly mess. So many factors beyond your control contributed to your “COVID 15.”
Which, based on recent developments, may soon become the “COVID 20.”
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.)
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com)

The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation has received a $1.75 million federal grant to study the impact of the coronavirus on Oklahomans.
Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the two-year project will seek to understand the immune system’s response to the virus and how that immune response varies in different ethnic groups. Additionally, the study aims to understand if the immune response is protective against future infections — or if it might worsen them.
“OMRF has a strong history and wonderful partnerships throughout the state,” said Linda Thompson, Ph.D., who will help lead the project. “That should enable us to quickly obtain blood samples from those who have been exposed to or infected by the coronavirus.”
The researchers will analyze blood donated by volunteers to understand individuals’ differing immune responses to the virus. The OMRF scientists will be looking for biological clues that might identify those individuals most likely to experience a severe response to coronavirus infection.
As a group, Oklahomans are at a somewhat higher risk for life-threatening complications from Covid-19, as they tend to have higher rates of other conditions associated with greater mortality from coronavirus infection: obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
OMRF is actively recruiting individuals for Covid-19 antibody testing, especially people with these high-risk conditions, those with Native American heritage, and those who know or suspect they have recovered from the virus. If you’re interested in participating, please call 405-271-7221 or email [email protected].
OMRF researchers will also be studying the roles and reactions of antibodies that form in the immune response to infection to the virus known technically as SARS-CoV-2.
“Specifically, we need to know if antibodies help fight the virus,” said Mark Coggeshall, Ph.D., who will also help lead the research. Work will focus on a phenomenon called antibody-dependent enhancement, where instead of protecting people from future infections, antibodies could actually make future infections worse.
“We have to understand all aspects of the body’s immune response and which ones correlate to good health outcomes, and we also need to understand how these vary in different ethnicities,” said Thompson. “This knowledge gap needs to be filled quickly to inform vaccine trials, some of which are already underway.”
The new funding comes as a supplement to a grant awarded to OMRF to study the immune system’s response to anthrax bacteria as part of the NIAID’s Cooperative Centers for Human Immunology.
“Our existing research on anthrax has a developed infrastructure to study immune response to a serious viral infection,” Thompson said. “So, we are set up to start this project without having to develop new methodology. The work can, and will, begin immediately.”
Coggeshall, for one, is eager to start the new project. “Our anthrax work is promising and important, but all research efforts right now should be on SARS-CoV-2 and Covid-19,” he said. “There is no more urgent issue to study in the world, and we will do everything we can to help.”
Funding for the research is provided by grant No. 2U19AI062629-16 from the NIAID, a part of the National Institutes of Health.