Disease center closure could hurt coronavirus fix, pols say

Two senators from New England have charged that shutdown of a government program designed to identity infectious diseases will make it more difficult for U.S. to help combat coronavirus.

Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine and Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said y sent a letter to U.S. ncy of International Development asking for information about ncy’s decision to shutter PREDICT. program was charged with identifying and countering viruses that have ability to cause public health emergencies.

King and Warren said dressing and preventing spre of disease outbreaks such as coronavirus “is a serious matter that requires equate resources for and cooperation between experts throughout federal government.”

King said USAID informed him earlier that it plans to create a new project to succeed PREDICT. However, PREDICT is scheduled to close in March and ncy hasn’t provided more details, he said.

Im Source: AP