SARS-CoV-2 Company Letter and Strategy

Dear Boojum Family,

We want to reach out in these unprecedented times to let you know that we are still here for you, and as committed as ever to your health and well-being, as well as that of our team, families, and communities. We are working hard to ensure that we not only meet your CBD needs, but also to do whatever we can to help our communities in the battle against Covid-19.

Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that affect only mammals (like us) and birds. Named for the protein spikes that form a halo around the virion (the body of the virus, which carries the genetic information), coronaviruses cause many human diseases, from some forms of the common cold, to SARS, MERS, and of course, COVID-19 (the name derived from COronaVIrus Disease of 2019, rather than the official virus name, SARS-CoV-2). Covid-19 is a zoonose (that means that it jumped to humans from another species, likely a bat). Until recently, human immune systems hadn’t been exposed to this virus, meaning that we don’t have the antibodies to easily neutralize it, making it more dangerous than many other pathogens.

Regarding our laboratory protocols, we are closely monitoring information from the CDC and the WHO, to ensure we are following all guidelines and precautions, and operating only with extreme caution. We have scaled back personnel in contact with our facilities by conducting all meetings online, and having non-essential personnel work from home. For essential employees within our facilities, we take stringent safety and decontamination measures, including wearing PPE and protective clothing and routinely disinfecting and sterilizing the lab.

Our community matters to us on every level, so we will be doing everything we can to help our local medical personnel and high-risk groups. As a registered lab, we have the opportunity to prepare hand sanitizer according to a temporary policy enacted by the FDA for the COVID-19 public health emergency. We are starting production of the alcohol-based hand sanitizer requested by the FDA (alcohol destroys the virus by breaking down proteins and other structures, so make sure any hand sanitizer you use has more than 60% alcohol), in order to combat the shortages affecting our communities. We will be providing it at cost, or as a donation, wherever there is a need, particularly within the medical community.

We recognize the threat to our community posed by this virus, and as a result, have implemented the above steps. We want to do our part to flatten the curve, continue to offer our clients the quality and service they expect, and help our community in these difficult and complex times. Stay safe out there, breathe, keep washing your hands, social distancing, and taking care of one another.

Thank you for being a part of our community,

The Boojum Team