House Energy and Commerce Committee members told coronavirus risk remains low

Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee were briefed this week on the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak by top members of the Trump administration and reiterate that risk remains low.

These members were addressed by Dr. Robert Redfield, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Dr. Robert Kadlec, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and RADM Denise Hinton, Chief Scientist for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Despite six confirmed cases across Washington, Illinois, California, and Arizona, the officials reiterated the need for caution. They also cited a Level 3 travel advisory issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which advises all Americans to avoid nonessential travel to China. Back at home, Redfield and Kadlec noted public health efforts currently being conducted in the U.S. to minimize the spread of virus. At the same time, Fauci and Hinton discussed research currently underway to identify diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines that could help combat 2019-nCoV.

Notably, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has opened a platform for stakeholders to submit information on diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, and technologies to address the outbreak. Special interest lies in medical countermeasure research and development efforts relevant to BARDA’s ongoing mission, those products using an already approved platform or which have significant manufacturing capability, or those submissions fully owned or licensed by an organization.