Everyone is yelling right now about #COVID19 but scientists in Seattle @uwmedicine have their heads down at the lab bench because, as @helenchumd told me, “We are past the point of containment.” Thank goodness they're finally able to charge ahead. My latest:
Behind the scenes notes: 🍕 & 🍩 are fueling the effort at a high tech virology lab able to screen 1K samples/day. These scientists just got a green light to test Saturday. 
And they’re working on 3 hours of sleep to catch up. Researchers @SeattleFluStudy are sending these kits to people who feel sick. If positive for #coronavirus, @lea_starita et al sequences genome
Then @trvrb @hamesjadfield etc @nextstrain compares sequences to others posted by scientists around the world, to trace how the virus spreads. Press ‘play’ on their beautiful map here nextstrain.org/ncov?animate=2…
Another interesting thing to watch w/the kits: Although they aren’t a verified clinical diagnostic, they could encourage people who feel sick (but not terrible) to stay home and self isolate. “Precision quarantine,” is what @gatesfoundation - the funders- called it.
