6. COVID-fighting police cars

The sheriff’s office in Winnebago County, Illinois, is looking to spend some of its ARPA funding on vehicle software from Ford that uses heat to fight COVID-19. The software, which revs a vehicle’s engine and blows the hot air out its vents, can reportedly heat the interior above 133 degrees Fahrenheit. The efficacy of the solution is unclear, however; one study recently showed that some strains of the novel coronavirus can survive temperatures in excess of 140 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour.

Ford worked with Ohio State University to develop the software, testing it in police department vehicles.

The northern county is still reviewing whether such a project is an allowable use under ARPA spending rules.

This piece is part of StateScoop & EdScoop’s special report on relief funding.