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See below for an announcement from DISSCo and CETAF about the formation of a COVID-10 task force. Although these are European institutions, participation by U.S. scientists and collections professionals with relevant expertise and and resources are welcome
to join the effort by filling in the form (link below). The question has arisen about whether or not we should form a parallel organization on this side of the Atlantic -- if this does materialize, SPNHC should definitely be a contributor to the effort.</div>
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<span style="color: rgb(22, 77, 152); font-family: comspotbasic-bold, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 500;">Urgent Call for contribution</span><br>
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by 1st April 2020</h2>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; background: transparent; text-size-adjust: 100%; font-weight: bold">We launch this urgent call to scientists across DiSSCo partners and CETAF community landscape</strong><span> </span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; background: transparent; text-size-adjust: 100%; font-weight: bold">to
form</strong><span> </span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; background: transparent; text-size-adjust: 100%; font-weight: bold">a task force that could devote the joint expertise and dedication to provide other relevant actors
with the most adequate and timely information</strong><span> </span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; background: transparent; text-size-adjust: 100%; font-weight: bold">as might be valuable to push forward research for the
discovery of answers to COVID-19</strong>.</p>
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We are globally facing an unprecedented critical situation derived from the virus spread causing COVID-19 that is putting our lives at risk at a scale and virulence never encountered before in modern times. This health crisis requires a collective and immediate
response from governments and citizens, researchers and professionals in finding prompt solutions. We live in an era of big data and connectivity, with advanced technologies that provide opportunities the world never had before to pool resources and knowledge
together from all over the planet working towards the same invisible enemy.</p>
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<b>In the light of cross-disciplinary effort, fair data exchange and international joint developments, natural sciences collections held in museums, botanical gardens and universities, are to play a role in helping health-related agencies in characterizing,
mitigating the effects of and contributing to produce adequate responses to infectious diseases, as it has been the case for the devastating Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014. Although we are still uncertain on the origins of the SARS-Cov-2 and the disease
it causes to humans (COVID-19), the scientific community has already strong indications that this is a zoonotic disease. Should this be the case, a better understanding of distribution, population ecology and inter-species interactions might be valuable to
identify the origin and evolution of the virus and act accordingly.</b></p>
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Our community holds data, experience and skills that can contribute to find solutions more rapidly and effectively. The world needs your help as a scientist in the field (taxonomist, collections curator, etc.) and expert on origins and distribution of disease
agents as well as of potential host and vector species transmitting SARS-Cov-2. Equally, from the perspective of bioinformatics, our community may provide support and access to important large data sets related to relevant species that now need to be clearly
identified, studied and analyzed in the light of the current pandemic.</p>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; background: transparent; text-size-adjust: 100%; font-weight: bold">Our aim is to create by the end of next week, on the 3rd of April 2020</strong>,<span> </span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; background: transparent; text-size-adjust: 100%; font-weight: bold">a
Taskforce of Experts (the COVID-19 TaF)</strong><span> </span>to collaborate with teams all over the world and be the contact point for whatever valuable data could be needed.</p>
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We, from the CETAF Secretariat working together with the DiSSCo research infrastructure Coordination Office, will provide the support you may need in channeling your willingness to participate in this Task-Force, providing you the right contacts, mechanisms
and tools to operate internationally with larger teams and synergetic initiatives (such as VODAN, EU Health Policy Platform, RDA COVID-19 Working Group and others) and helping you in whatever you may need, also financially.</p>
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If you are able and willing to join forces with us, please respond to our call by<span> </span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; background: transparent; text-size-adjust: 100%; font-weight: bold">filling in<span> </span><a href="https://www.cognitoforms.com/CETAF1/COVID19TaFACETAFDiSSCoJointAction" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; background: transparent; text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(233, 184, 32)">this
form</a><span> </span>by next Wednesday 1 April 2020:</strong></p>
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<a href="https://www.dissco.eu/joint-covid-19-task-force/" style="margin: 0px"><br>
https://www.dissco.eu/joint-covid-19-task-force/</a><br>
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<div style="margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; height: 115.556px; overflow: hidden"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.dissco.eu/joint-covid-19-task-force/" style="margin: 0px"><img alt="" height="115" width="240" style="margin: 0px; display: block" src="https://www.dissco.eu/wp-content/uploads/Yellow-Apps-and-Technology-Business_Advertising-Website2.png"></a></div>
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dissco.eu/joint-covid-19-task-force/" style="margin: 0px; color: var(--themePrimary)">Joint COVID-19 Task Force - DiSSCo</a></div>
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Our aim is to create by the 3rd of April 2020, a Taskforce of Experts (the COVID-19 TaF) to collaborate with teams all over the world and be the contact point for whatever valuable data could be needed.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(166, 166, 166)">
www.dissco.eu</div>
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<div style="font-size:13.600000381469727px">Dr. Barbara M. Thiers</div>
<div style="font-size:13.600000381469727px">Vice President</div>
<div style="font-size:13.600000381469727px">Patricia K. Holmgren Director</div>
<div style="font-size:13.600000381469727px">William and Lynda Steere Herbarium</div>
<div style="font-size:13.600000381469727px">The New York Botanical Garden</div>
<div style="font-size:13.600000381469727px">President-Elect, SPNHC</div>
<div style="font-size:13.600000381469727px">Editor, <i>Index Herbariorum</i></div>
<div style="font-size:13.600000381469727px">2900 Southern Blvd.</div>
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<span style="font-family:Century,serif; color:rgb(0,32,96)">Download:</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:Cambria,serif; color:rgb(0,32,96)"><a href="https://webmail.nybg.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=DZKIfwlM-bRuN7VbYm3y6VYav1JKmR4c1-8AgqzXvwyyH2wh5FbVCA..&URL=http%3a%2f%2fsweetgum.nybg.org%2fscience%2fdocs%2fThe_Worlds_Herbaria_2017_5_Jan_2018.pdf" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(149,79,114)">The
World’s Herbaria 2017</a></span><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"> </span><span style="font-family:Century,serif; color:rgb(0,32,96)"> (second Index Herbariorum annual report)</span><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"></span></p>
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