Coronavirus: Oakwood students publish website to combat coronavirus

Several Oakwood students have created a website to help people get information and breaking news regarding the coronavirus.

MORE: CORONAVIRUS: Complete coverage from the Dayton Daily News

A group Oakwood High School students who wanted to do something meaningful started the website. One student had past experience coding, and that helped launch coronavirusfighters.info.

This is not your-run-of-the-mill website that is a quick virtual read, the site culls together multiple resources to show and inform other students, staff, parents and anybody interested in knowing about the pandemic.

District spokeswoman Traci Hale said a handful of students have now delved into journalism with various correspondent titles that allows them to scoop up information from around the globe and report on it for their website.

“With the help of all of the other Oakwood students who volunteered to help out, coronavirusfighters.info is now used in 20 different countries,” Hale said. “The website is dedicated to providing up-to-date statistics, information and news from a variety of sources in order to inform people globally about the pandemic and how to counter it.”

Latest topics include messages delivered by President Trump, along with scientists and pandemic studies from around the world.

Hale said the effort is one that is ongoing, and the students plan on being in the journalism business on their site for the long run.

“The team of high schoolers will continue to maintain and update the website on a daily basis as the pandemic progresses,” she said.

MORE: Another Dayton doughnut shop joins the ranks of the NEWLY REOPENED

Oakwood students and staff are still putting forth an effort to use 3D printers to make personal protective equipment to help hospitals and medical personnel combat the coronavirus.

There are now about eight people, including teachers and students, on board with the 3D printing project, and they are hoping to produce about 50 to 80 face shields a day.

Oakwood High School teacher Tony Rainsberger said there are many people involved in the project, and it is part of a larger effort put together by a group called the “Resilience Dayton Mutual Aid Coronavirus response.” The group is led by Sarah Moore, who is also disaster coordinator for the Shiloh Tornado Resource Center.

“She put together the group to try to address some of the supply needs of the medical community during the coronavirus outbreak,” Rainsberger said. “She has a lot of different people working on those needs.”

He added that Moore reached out to Wenbi Lai, who is an engineer in the Oakwood community, and Lai reached out to people who had 3D computers to join in the mask-making effort.

“When she reached out to us, she said ‘we want to make some face shields,’” Rainsberger explained. “I contacted the principal and two other teachers who help with the engineering program at Oakwood and said, ‘Hey, can we do this?’”

MORE: Greater unemployment and greater pain’ than the Great Recession


Here’s how you can help combat the coronavirus:

◾Make a donation to us. All proceeds go towards funding this campaign and towards buying masks and supplies for hospitals and individuals at risk.

◾Donate extra N95 masks to people and organizations who need them.

◾Practice social distancing. Make sure you are at least 6 feet away from others, as the coronavirus spreads through droplets when someone sneezes and can travel a few feet.

◾Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Make sure you rinse thoroughly to kill any potential pathogens.

◾Cover up your mouth and nose when you sneeze. Droplets that you sneeze out can spread pathogens.

◾Seek medical care if you are showing symptoms of coronavirus(fever, cough, and difficulty breathing).

◾Follow the advice of health authorities, as they have the most up-to-date information about your area.

◾If you have visited an area with coronavirus in the past 14 days, stay at home and do not travel even if you show only mild symptoms. Even if you didn’t, you should try to stay at home and avoid travelling to lower the risk of infection.

◾Take off your shoes before entering your house — Coronavirus and other pathogens can easily be caught under shoes and spread into your house.

◾Wash clothes often. We recommend doing so twice a week, with the warmest water setting possible along with disinfecting the washer after every use.

◾Wear medical gloves and other protective gear when handling packages or touching commonly used equipment when going outside.

◾Wearing N95 masks when going outside is strongly suggested.

Advice from the Oakwood students publishing a website dedicated to providing information to combat COVID-19.

About the Author