For Immediate Release
Silver Spring, MD, March 17, 2022 — The Association of Public Health Laboratories called on Congress to continue funding efforts that support the nation’s response to COVID-19. These efforts include supporting our capacity to test and treat for this potentially deadly virus.
“The pandemic is still very much with us, and we have made too much progress to let up on the reins now,” said Scott Becker, MS, chief executive officer of APHL. “Our nation’s public health agencies and laboratories need sustained funding to keep us in the fight against COVID-19 and to ensure that we are prepared for future disease threats.”
APHL pointed to three areas of particular importance:
- Sustained support to maintain our testing capacity;
- Ensuring diagnostic manufacturing capacity; and
- Ensuring that uninsured individuals will be covered for claims submitted for COVID-19 testing and treatment.
“We urge Congress to act to adequately fund these important activities—including providing appropriate funding for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention response activities in future supplemental bills—to continue our progress against the pandemic, make sure we are prepared for other threats and protect public health,” said Becker.
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The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) works to strengthen laboratory systems serving the public’s health in the US and globally. APHL’s member laboratories protect the public’s health by monitoring and detecting infectious and foodborne diseases, environmental contaminants, terrorist agents, genetic disorders in newborns and other diverse health threats.
Contact Michelle Forman at 240-485-2793 or michelle.forman@aphl.org
