News
CEPI invests $620,000 into potential COVID-19 vaccine from University of Hong Kong
Expanding its efforts to bring COVID-19 vaccines to fruition, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) invested $620,000 into the development of a new vaccine candidate designed by the University of Hong Kong. “I'm thankful for the support from CEPI,” HKU President Xiang... Read More »
Naval ship deployed to New York Harbor to serve as floating hospital
The USNS Comfort, a U.S. Navy ship, will be deployed to New York harbor to serve as a 1,000-bed hospital ship that will be used to treat coronavirus patients. The ship, due to arrive in April, will also have 12 fully-equipped operating rooms and increase New York's hospital surge... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions teams up with Vaxart on oral coronavirus vaccine
Emergent BioSolutions has struck an agreement with Vaxart, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, to develop and manufacture Vaxart’s experimental oral vaccine candidate for the COVID-19 coronavirus. As part of the deal, Emergent will utilize its molecule-to-market contract development and... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions deploys long-standing expertise to combat current pandemic
Emergent BioSolutions Inc., world-renowned as a bioterrorism expert, is also utilizing its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) status to help quash the coronavirus disease COVID-19. “For 22 years, Emergent has focused on products and services that address serious public... Read More »
World Bank, IFC approves $14B to help nations, companies respond to COVID-19
The World Bank and the International Finance Committee (IFC) approved a $14 billion financing package to assist companies and countries in their efforts to respond to the spread of COVID-19. About $8 billion of that is from IFC, which is a member of the World Bank Group. It will increase its... Read More »
IDSA endorses Trump administration’s effort to slow spread of COVID-19
The measures announced by the Trump administration to control the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus have been endorsed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and its HIV Medicine Association. IDSA officials said an “all-sector, all-society response” is essential to reducing... Read More »
Sen. Menendez advocates Defense Production Act be invoked
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is urging President Donald Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act (DPA) as a means of accelerating COVID-19 national response, supply production and readiness. “In the midst of a pandemic, state and local governments should not be left on their own scrambling to... Read More »
Lawmakers seeking rural COVID-19 response coordination
Senate lawmakers are urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to galvanize Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) efforts to enhance rural COVID-19 response coordination. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) joined 22 other legislators in... Read More »
Sen. Peters proposes legislation to remedy coronavirus testing shortages
Looking for solutions to the nationwide shortages of coronavirus testing, despite the ongoing pandemic, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) proposed legislation this week that would make testing free and rapidly distributed both to communities and health care providers. Calling on both the Trump... Read More »
Study finds coronavirus can linger for days on surfaces
The virus responsible for COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, can remain stable for hours or even days in aerosols and on surfaces, according to a new study published by the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UCLA and Princeton University. Coronaviruses are known for... Read More »
Lawmakers urge USDA to ensure no disruptions to food supply during pandemic
Federal legislators are urging the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take all the necessary steps to ensure there are no disruptions to our nation’s food supply chain during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. “We encourage you to use all of your available authorities to... Read More »
Trump signs Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act into law
President Donald Trump signed into law the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, which is designed to help secure America’s telecommunications supply chain. The enactment of the bill was applauded by its sponsors, Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Greg Walden (R-OR), Doris Matsui... Read More »
Research firm offers assessment of Space Force
The research organization RAND Corporation recently offered an assessment of the Space Force’s role, determining most space activities in the Department of Defense should be moved into the new service. “Launching a Space Force offers the opportunity to increase U.S. military capability,... Read More »
Lawmakers advocate REAL ID Act implementation delay
Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Lou Correa (D-CA) are urging Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to delay the Oct. 1, 2020, REAL ID Act implementation deadline. The three legislators encouraged the delayed action, citing the impact of COVID-19, the limited... Read More »
New York representatives rally for Families First Coronavirus Response Act as Senate decides to go on legislative recess
A Senate decision to go on recess amid the novel coronavirus outbreak has drawn the ire of House members, several of which have called on their legislative counterparts to immediately vote on the Families First Coronavirus Act (H.R. 6201). That act was voted through the House last week and has... Read More »
NIAID begins clinical trial of investigational COVID-19 vaccine in Seattle
The first participant in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-funded (NIAID), Phase 1 clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine received their first dose this week, officially beginning an approximately six-week program. The investigational vaccine, mRNA-1273, will be tested on... Read More »
CEPI puts out funding call for COVID-19 vaccine
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is looking to invest up to $2 billion to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. The $2 billion funding call will enable CEPI to expand the number of vaccine candidates to increase the chances of success and fund clinical trials for these... Read More »
HHS announces two tests in development to test coronavirus
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) announced that two tests to detect the COVID-19 coronavirus are in development. The tests would be able to produce results in approximately one hour. The Biomedical... Read More »
New COVID-19 response fund launched
World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Foundation officials said the newly launched (COVID-19) Solidarity Response Fund would raise funds from donors to aid countries responding to the pandemic. The endeavor, created by the WHO, the United Nations Foundation, and the Swiss... Read More »
Counterfeit COVID-19 test kits seized at Los Angeles Airport
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) - International Mail Facility (IMF) officers recently seized suspected counterfeit COVID-19 test kits from the United Kingdom. On March 12, officers discovered six plastic bags containing various vials... Read More »
Families First Coronavirus Response Act pledges swift COVID-19 action, but strict language raises alarms
Recently advanced by the House, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) has so far run the bipartisan gamut to ease the economic toll of the novel coronavirus outbreak, but health experts warn its proposed coverage leaves new developers and patients in the lurch. While the bill... Read More »
Emergency Use Authorization granted to Thermo Fisher for COVID-19 diagnostic test
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its fourth COVID-19 related diagnostic Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) this week, tapping Thermo Fisher for its TaqPath diagnostic test. The TaqPath Combo Kit contains both assays and controls necessary to detect RNA from the SARS-CoV-2 virus... Read More »
Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense receives $2.62M grant to continue biosecurity efforts
The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense received its largest grant to date from Open Philanthropy, the commission announced today. The $2.62 million grant from Open Philanthropy is the commission’s fifth grant from the philanthropic group, which has provided a total of $7.31 million in grants... Read More »
Democratic senators urge Trump to make disaster funds available through Stafford Act
Democratic U.S. senators made the request last week for President Donald Trump to immediately consider any disaster declarations invoked by governors under the Stafford Act. This action would grant states access to additional resources necessary to combat the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.... Read More »
DHS names winner of Escape Respirator Prize Challenge
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced last week the grand prize winner of its Escape Respirator Prize Challenge. The contest was launched in December 2018, seeking proposals from innovators for a compact, discreetly-carried escape... Read More »
FirstNet Authority appoints new executive director
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) Board has selected Edward Parkinson as the organization’s executive director. “After conducting a comprehensive and thorough search, we are pleased to announce the selection of Ed Parkinson to be the Executive Director of the... Read More »
Lancet study reveals details of first person-to-person transmission COVID-19 case in US
A revealing study from The Lancet, published last week, revealed previously unknown details of the first case of person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 -- the cause of COVID-19 -- in the United States. In this case, a woman who had recently traveled to China transmitted the infection to her... Read More »
Facial comparison technology introduced at JFK
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said the agency has introduced biometric facial comparison technology at John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 4 to secure and streamline international travel. “CBP and its partners are implementing facial comparison technology to provide... Read More »
Hackensack Meridian Health launches coronavirus test with reduced diagnosis times
As testing backlogs grow across the U.S., Hackensack Meridian Health of New Jersey announced last week that its Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) has created a rapid diagnostic for COVID-19 capable of reducing test times to mere hours. The test allows the health network to quarantine... Read More »
Trump declares coronavirus national emergency; FDA grants NY flexibility with patient testing
President Donald Trump on Friday declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency, a move that will allow the federal government to tap into billions of dollars in aid to help combat the spread of the virus. The national emergency declaration will allow up to $50 billion in government... Read More »
House Democrats introduce bill to help families deal with coronavirus
House Democrats introduced legislation to bolster the federal government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak for families. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act provides paid leave, establishes free coronavirus testing, supports strong unemployment benefits, expands food assistance... Read More »
Virginia is most prepared for a public health disaster, says report
Virginia, Connecticut, and Colorado are the three states that are most prepared for public health and natural disasters, according to a new study by QuoteWizard, an online insurance marketplace. The report evaluated six factors from Trust for America's Health report, "Ready or Not: Protecting... Read More »
Lawmakers tout 5G legislation advancement
Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Mike Doyle (D-PA) are espousing the benefits of the House advancing the Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020. “It is long past time that the Trump Administration prepare our networks for the 5G future – this bill will force the Administration to do exactly... Read More »
Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus effort targets cyberthreat defense
Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus officials said the body has crafted a landmark policy framework designed to enhance the nation’s defenses against cyberthreats while mitigating vulnerabilities. The Cyberspace Solarium Commission Report outlines recommendations for reforms to organize... Read More »