The unpredictable and tumultuous era of the Covid-19 pandemic witnessed an unforeseen alliance between the digital world and health initiatives.
In 2022, Crypto Relief, a philanthropic organization entrenched in the cryptocurrency sector and co-pioneered by Sandeep Nailwal of Polygon, devoted a staggering $100 million to Covid-related research endeavors.
Now, a year later, Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, has extended his partnership with Crypto Relief to make a second, equally generous, contribution of $100 million.
A global solution to a global problem
This innovative collaboration aims to confront not just the remnants of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the looming threat of future global health crises as well.
The key to unlocking a healthier future, according to Buterin and Nailwal, is a combination of cutting-edge scientific innovation and effective implementation on a global scale.
While the world has managed to survive the pandemic, the duo acknowledges that surviving is not enough. Their endeavor will strive for solutions that not only ensure survival but also enrich the quality of life.
They firmly believe in delivering interventions that respect people’s rights, freedoms, and accessibility.
Open-source, infrastructure and Long Covid
Integral to this initiative is a commitment to maximal viable open-source funding. This model, they believe, will ensure transparency, accountability, and public scrutiny.
An emphasis is also placed on initiatives that rely on medical and infrastructural enhancements rather than drastic behavioral modifications. Their blueprint for a pandemic-free world includes an interesting focus: indoor air quality.
Recognizing the airborne transmission of Covid-19, they aim to explore methods to mitigate risks associated with poor ventilation, relying on conventional techniques such as HEPA filtration, and emerging technologies such as UVC irradiation.
Moreover, they plan to address the often-overlooked issue of long Covid, or the persistence of Covid symptoms after the acute phase. Intriguing research suggests that viral persistence may be the underlying cause of long Covid, a hypothesis this duo is keen to investigate further.
The magnitude of this joint contribution, totalling $190 million USDC from Crypto Relief and $10 million personally from Buterin, signifies a profound commitment to improving global health.
Their collaboration aims to pave the way for a future where we not only understand, prevent, and cure conditions such as Long Covid, but also eradicate airborne pathogens, drawing a parallel with the eradication of cholera through clean water over a century ago.
