Corona Immunitas Ticino

03.08.2021

Ilaria Falvo – 1@2X

What motivates you to work for Corona Immunitas?

There are several elements that motivate myself to work in this project, I take the slogan "together to react" and consider myself as a small piece of a Corona immunities' puzzle make me extremely happy and motivate, work together with different profiles and partners all with the same goal.

What was your most memorable moment in the project?

I am working "next" the participants, specially over 65 old, every time that they said to me after a call "thank you for listening me" it's memorable, We should say to them thank you for their participation and time, but they recognized our effort and willingness to understand and study the actual pandemic situation.

Where do you see Corona Immunitas in two years?

I hope to see Corona immunities as project for a post pandemic Swiss in which, it tries to understand the effects of this pandemic crisis on the citizen with a more qualitative focus.

What's your motto / life quote?

"Even if I am a small piace of a big puzzle, I am important and each of the cards is, because without this piece you won't have a complete puzzle"

 

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Kleona Bezani – 1@2X

What motivates you to work for Corona Immunitas?

The opportunity to help and contribute in my community through Corona Immunitas Ticino.

What was your most memorable moment in the project?

The blood sampling process. Getting in touch with the participants and the adrenaline rush in the preparation before the blood sampling.

Where do you see Corona Immunitas in two years?

It is possible that our community will have to face the consequences of the current changes in later years, and I believe CI is a very dynamic project that may adjust to the needs of our community.

 

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Sara Levati – 1@2X

What motivates you to work for Corona Immunitas?

The chance to work with such an extended group of researchers, whose different backgrounds make the collaboration richer and more effective. We all look in the same direction -the health of the Swiss population.

What was your most memorable moment in the project?

Certainly the excitement when we sent the first letters to potential participants. The study was getting real!

Where do you see Corona Immunitas in two years?

I see Corona Immunitas as a day-to-day project. We are constantly evolving, so it is difficult to anticipate where Corona Immunitas will be in two years time. For sure, I see new collaborations and joint projects arising from the work we are doing today.

What's your motto / life quote?

Be the change you want to see in the world.

 

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Diana Sofia Da Costa Santos – 1@2X

What motivates you to work for Corona Immunitas?

Tutto è iniziato durante l’invio delle lettere d’invito al progetto per i futuri partecipanti.
Quelle lettere sono diventate nel tempo delle voci che ci raccontano la loro esperienza a cuore aperto e che continuano ad accompagnarci, sostenendo il nostro lavoro. È un impegno bilaterale che ci sta dando la forza di andare avanti, perché non c’è motivazione più grande della compagnia di qualcuno lungo il cammino. Oggi Corona Immunitas continua ad essere una luce di chiarezza e di speranza, la stessa che ho provato quel primo giorno di lavoro al progetto.

What was your most memorable moment in the project?

Durante la fase dei prelievi tra novembre e dicembre 2020 ho lasciato la mia scrivania per andare sul campo. Ho avuto l'opportunità di incontrare i partecipanti in alcune sedi dei prelievi e anche a domicilio. L'affetto e la gentilezza con cui ci hanno accolti in tali occasioni mi ha scaldato il cuore e mi ha ricordato che è grazie all'unione di tutti noi, team di ricerca e partecipanti, che possiamo affrontare questa pandemia con un po' più di serenità.

Where do you see Corona Immunitas in two years?

Corona Immunitas è un progetto che parla al futuro: diamo risposte sulla situazione attuale ma è grazie a queste che possiamo auspicare ad un domani più chiaro. Credo che questo progetto marcherà la realtà nazionale dei prossimi anni, sia per rispondere alle domande di una pandemia in corso, sia per chiarire i dubbi del post-pandemia. L'unione nazionale creata da Corona Immunitas è la prova che nessun ostacolo può fermarci e rimarrà nella storia.

What's your motto / life quote?

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"

 

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Rebecca Amati – 1@2X

What motivates you to work for Corona Immunitas?

With this pandemic, we are facing an unprecedented historical period. Everyone is helping according to his/her own ability, and research can play its crucial role. Working for Corona Immunitas is giving me the chance to offer my own contribution as part of a national effort and, at the same time, it is a great learning opportunity, from many points of view.

What was your most memorable moment in the project?

Phase 2 was particularly challenging in Ticino, as we could not collect blood samples in the hospitals and we had to reinvent everything, find new sites, partners, nurses, etc. On top of this, we included in the sample also children and older adults, which implied some organizational complications (but also opportunities!). I managed to involve some clown doctors in the attempt to make the kids' blood sampling as pleasant as possible. When I walked into the new USI-SUPSI Campus Est and I saw everything working perfectly well, in respect of the health measures, with our site investigators, nurses, volunteers, and clowns entertaining the kids in an amazing atmosphere... I thought: "Look what we did!" I must admit that it was a special moment.

Where do you see Corona Immunitas in two years?

I think that Corona Immunitas has managed to create an incredible infrastructure that is based on a successful partnership between academia and business/management and a network of researchers with a common goal located throughout Switzerland. I think that we need to leverage on what we have built with this national initiative. I think that Corona Immunitas will continue, regardless of the pandemic.

What's your motto / life quote?

Quid animo satis

 

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Emiliano Albanese – 1@2X

What motivates you to work for Corona Immunitas?

'No pain, no gain!'

What was your most memorable moment in the project?

When both Luca and I were finally both on holiday for a few days last Summer, and we realized that Rebecca was minding the shop amazingly well.

Where do you see Corona Immunitas in two years?

A national cohort study on long-covid, and an SSPH platform for research consortia.

What's your motto / life quote?

Verbum laudatur si factum sequatur

 

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Carolina Foglia┬Á2@2X

What motivates you to work for Corona Immunitas?

I understood from the beginning how important Corona Immunitas is at the federal level and how many people work every day with consistency and passion. It is a pleasure to be one of those people.

What was your most memorable moment in the project?

I remember the first day of work. When I went to the hospital at 7 a.m., I was a bit scared but excited, and after a few minutes the waiting room was full of people ready to participate in the project. Even when we tested the children, they were so brave and with the help of the clowns, the days were full of smiles and laughter. My heart was filled with joy when I saw how many citizens participated in the study, with a smile and a desire to do their part, interested in the project and happy to participate.

Where do you see Corona Immunitas in two years?

Corona Immunitas will finally help us understand more about the virus that blocks our lives. It will help us feel more confident and find answers to our questions. In two years, I see Corona Immunitas as an example for other countries. It is a great gift for the Swiss people!

What's your motto / life quote?

breaking boundaries - embrace change

 

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Anne Linda Crameri@2X

What motivates you to work for Corona Immunitas?

It is great that I can contribute to this important and topical project about the pandemic during the pandemic. I appreciate the interdisciplinary collaboration both within Ticino, but also across sites. It is a great learning moment for me.

What was your most memorable moment in the project?

I usually work in the background, i.e. I develop the questionnaires and the communication material for the <20-year-olds. During the serology testing, I jumped in and helped our site staff prepare the children for their serology test. It was very emotional to see how brave these children were during the blood draw, and their proud smiles when the clown doctors presented them with a small gift afterwards. This direct contact with our youngest study participants showed me that we are all committed to making this project a success. Researchers and participants alike!

Where do you see Corona Immunitas in two years?

I hope that the national initiative will continue to foster collaborative research post-pandemic to address relevant epidemiological questions, especially among younger age groups, which is my area of research. I am a social scientist and believe that interdisciplinary collaboration with epidemiologists and physicians is an asset that allows us to learn from each other and exploit synergies.

What's your motto / life quote?

Focus on what you have in life and not on what you lack!

 

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Anna Maria Annoni┬Á2@2X (1)

What motivates you to work for Corona Immunitas?

Corona Immunitas can directly benefit people by growing and adapting to their specific needs at such a unique moment. And working with so many amazing professionals from different backgrounds is a rare opportunity.

What was your most memorable moment in the project?

Phase III was very challenging for all of us, but seeing how grateful the participants were for our work was extremely rewarding. Plus, it was great to have clown doctors around 😊.

Where do you see Corona Immunitas in two years?

Still informing both the scientific scene and the Swiss population about immunity and the consequences of this pandemic (which we hope we have put behind us).

What's your motto / life quote?

I use one from Corona Immunitas Ticino: Respond together!

 

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