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ASM COVID-19 Initiatives

As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, ASM is responding, from free access to coronavirus-related research from our journals, to advocating for the funding and resources we need to combat SARS-CoV-2. See what we're doing:


Shaping the U.S. Response


July 14, 2021: Don't Restrict Valid Pathogen Research, ASM & Partners Warn Congress

July 8, 2021: ASM Calls for Objective Evaluation into Pandemic Origins

March 26, 2021: ASM Joins with Groups Calling for Equity in Vaccine Distribution

Feb. 27, 2021 : ASM Hails the $1.75 Billion for Viral Sequencing in the American Rescue Plan Act Passed by the House

Feb. 11, 2021: ASM and Stakeholders Endorse Tracking COVID-19 Variants Act

Feb. 10, 2021: ASM Commends Congressional Proposal of $1.75 Billion for SARS-CoV-2 Sequencing

Feb 3, 2021:  ASM Responds to House Committee Hearing on COVID Response

Jan 21. 2021: First Steps by Administration Key to Getting Pandemic Under Control

Nov. 12, 2020: ASM Urges Congress to Complete FY 2021 Appropriations Process

Oct 23, 2020: ASM Advocates for Equitable Access to Future COVID-19 Vaccine

Oct 7, 2020: ASM Statement on the FDA Guidance on EUAs for COVID-19 Vaccines

Sep. 17, 2020: ASM Commends Senate for Advancing RISE Act

Aug. 24, 2020: ASM Calls on Congress to Provide Relief for COVID-19

July 30, 2020: ASM Thanks HHS for Renewing COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration

July 20, 2020: ASM and Partners Call for Reversal of Administration Policy Bypassing CDC on COVID-19

July 14, 2020: ASM Defends Science-Based Health Policy in Letter to Executive Branch

June 23, 2020: ASM and Stakeholders Urge HHS to Renew Public Health Declaration

June 23, 2020: ASM Reiterates Need for High-Level Review of Coronavirus Response

June 23, 2020: ASM Urges House Energy & Commerce Committee to Continue Efforts Toward Response and Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic

May 12, 2020: ASM Statement in Response to Senate HELP Committee Hearing on COVID-19

April 24, 2020: ASM Statement on the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act

April 21, 2020: ASM Endorses Bipartisan Letter in Support of Emergency Funding for Research Labs in Next COVID-19 Package

March 30, 2020: ASM Leads Stakeholder Letter Urging a Review of COVID-19 Response to Prepare for Future Pandemics

March 26, 2020: Breakdown of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

March: 17, 2020 ASM Asks Congress for a High-Level, Comprehensive Review of the SARS-CoV-2 Response

March 4, 2021: ASM Applauds Action on Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Appropriation

March 3, 2020: ASM Urges Senate Support for Coordinated Efforts to Combat COVID-19

Feb. 26, 2020: ASM Issues Response to House Hearing on FY2021 HHS Budget and Coronavirus

Feb. 5, 2020: ASM Responds to House Hearing on Wuhan Coronavirus

Leading on Diagnostics & Testing

March 4, 2021: Medical Microbiologist Lab Directors Needed to Run Clinical °®¶¹´«Ã½ Laboratories

Feb. 1, 2021: New GAO Report Points to Need to Address On-going Testing Challenges

Jan. 21, 2021: First Steps by Administration Key to Getting Pandemic Under Control

Dec. 2, 2020: ASM Joins Letter to Biden Transition Team Highlighting Laboratory Supply Challenges

Nov. 9, 2020: Supply Shortages Impacting COVID-19 and Non-COVID Testing

Oct. 6, 2020: ASM and Partners Call for Transparency Regarding COVID-19 Testing Supplies

Aug. 27, 2020: ASM Statement in Response to Change in CDC COVID-19 Testing Guidelines

Aug. 25, 2020: ASM Reiterates Need for Continued Reimbursement of COVID-19 Tests

July 10, 2020:
ASM Advocates for Increased Access to Testing Supplies and PPE

July 6, 2020: ASM Applauds Introduction of the TEST Act

July 1, 2020: ASM Statement on the Critical Role of Training Medical and Public Health Microbiologists in the Pandemic

June 24, 2020: Protocol to Verify Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Tests

June 19, 2020: SARS-CoV-2: New Insights on Antibody Testing and RNA Testing

June 2, 2020:
Small Study Demonstrates Sample Inactivation May Lead to SARS-CoV-2 False Negatives

May 4, 2020: ASM Thanks FDA for Clarifying SARS-CoV-2 Serology Test Guidance

April 27, 2020:

April 21, 2020: ASM Urges FDA to Affirm Role of Clinical Labs for COVID-19 Serology Testing

April 20, 2020:

April 17, 2020:

April 14, 2020: ASM Submits Letter to FDA Calling for Stronger Oversight of COVID-19 Serology Tests

April 3, 2020: Protocol to Verify Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

March 27, 2020: The Value of Diagnostic Testing for SARS-CoV-2: When, Whom, What and How Often To Test?

March 17, 2020: ASM Commends New Guidance to Increase COVID-19 Testing Capacity

March 11, 2020: A Possible Treatment for COVID-19 and an Approach for Developing Others

March 10, 2020: ASM Expresses Concern About Test Reagent Shortages

March 9, 2020: Expediting COVID-19 Testing and Expanding Access to Clinical Labs

Feb. 28, 2020: Amid COVID-19, ASM Voices Concerns about Clinical Access to Tests

Feb. 3, 2020: Novel Coronavirus Lab Protocols and Responses: Next Steps

Facilitating Research



March 2, 2021: COVID-19 Spread Tracked via a Rapid, Large-scale Early Wastewater Surveillance Alert System

Feb. 24, 2021: How to Neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 Virus

Jan. 22, 2021: NSAIDs Might Exacerbate or Suppress COVID-19 Depending on Timing, Mouse Study Suggests  

Jan. 19, 2021: Sequencing of Wastewater Useful for Control of SARS-CoV-2

Jan. 12, 2021: Poor Gut Health Connected to Severe COVID-19, New Review Shows

Nov. 23, 2020: We Need to Start Planning for a Post-COVID-19 Research Ecosystem Now

Oct. 30, 2020: Washing Hands and Halloween Candy can Mitigate COVID-19 Contamination Risks

Oct. 20, 2020: In Recovering COVID-19 Patients, Antibodies Fade Quickly

Oct. 9, 2020: New Study Suggests Crucial Role for Lymphocytes in Asymptomatic COVID-19 Infection

Oct. 8, 2020: Detecting SARS-CoV-2 in the Environment

Sept. 21, 2020: Researchers Find Diminished Response by Killer T Cells in Elderly COVID-19 Patients

Aug. 26, 2020: Neutralizing Antibodies Appear to Protect Humans From Coronavirus Infection

July 15, 2020: Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome are Risk Factors for Severe Influenza, COVID-19

July 14, 2020: Ups and Downs in COVID-19 Data may be Caused by Data Reporting Practices

June 25, 2020: Researchers Identify N95 Respirator Decontamination Method Using Microwave-Generated Steam

June 24, 2020: Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Also Contaminate the Environment

June 19, 2020: MMR Vaccine Could Protect Against the Worst Symptoms of COVID-19

May 4, 2020: 
Two Drugs Show Promise Against COVID-19

April 15, 2020: ASM Launches a COVID-19 Research Registry

March 27, 2020: ASM COVID-19 International Summit Sets Research Priorities 

March 23, 2020: Antimicrobials and COVID-19: Strategies for Treating a Pandemic

March 23, 2020: Researchers Investigate Potential Treatments for COVID-19

Jan. 31, 2020: 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Update: Uncoating the Virus

Jan. 31, 2020:

Jan. 30, 2020: ASM Provides Free Access to Coronavirus Research Articles


Providing Trusted Information

March 5, 2021: COVID-19 Vaccines Signal Light After Dark Days

March 3, 2021: SARS-CoV-2 Variants vs. Vaccines

Feb. 22, 2021: COVID-19 Vaccinations in Underrepresented Communities

Feb. 20, 2021: Tracking COVID-19 Variants: The Role of Advanced Molecular Detection and Genomic Surveillance

Jan. 12, 2021: Immunological Memory to SARS-CoV-2: Microbial Minutes

Dec. 16, 2020: COVID-19 Webinar: Revving Up to Warp Speed

Dec. 4, 2020:

Nov. 10, 2020: Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2: Microbial Minutes

Oct. 27, 2020: COVID-19 and the Flu

Sept. 21, 2020: SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection: Microbial Minutes

May 27, 2020:
Coronavirus Webinar Series: The Microbial Sciences Respond to COVID-19

May 20, 2020: ASM Hosts COVID-19 Webinar with CDC

May 4, 2020: ASM President Robin Patel addressed stakeholders on the weekly Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Clinical Laboratory COVID-19 Response conference call. Her presentation discussed ASM's response to date to the pandemic, including support for research, support for clinical microbiologists, and communication with policymakers, stakeholders and the public. Access the .

March 20, 2020: Top COVID-19 Questions, Answered: An Interview with ASM President Robin Patel 

Feb. 28, 2020: What to Know About the New Coronavirus: An Interview with Dr. Stanley Perlman

Jan. 30, 2020: Anthony Fauci Addresses Coronavirus at ASM Biothreats Conference