2020

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ATS Submits Recommendations on NIH COVID Research Plan
The ATS recently submitted comments to the NIH in response to the agency’s request for comment on the next iteration of the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Research. The ATS letter recommends a number of new and expanded research areas to improve our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and accelerate detection and diagnosis, treatment and prevention, including research to determine the most effective public health interventions and communication methods. Some of the ATS’s key recommendations to the NIH on SARS CoV-2 and COVID-19 research include:

Basic science to improve our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19

  • Greater prioritization of research to address health disparities in SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.
  • Priority study of the role of aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2, including studies to determine optimal methods for monitoring and mitigating this mode of transmission through energy-efficient ventilation interventions and design in high-risk settings such as hospitals and clinics, public transportation, restaurants, and other settings.
  • Prioritization of COVID-19 phenotyping research, the results of which can be used to guide the strategic use of different treatment options and interventions to address long-term complications of COVID-19.

Detection and Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19

  • A comprehensive detection and diagnosis research strategy to include development and implementation of testing strategies for different settings, including inpatient and outpatient clinics, and congregate and other community settings.

Treatment of COVID-19

  • Longitudinal research studies of patients recovering from COVID-19 to document long-term outcomes of the disease and guide future treatment.

Prevention and Behavioral Health

  • Studies to determine the most effective public health interventions and public education and communication strategies for pandemic response, including assessment of strategies used in various countries.
  • Expanded study of factors that contributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the interactions between the environment and animal and human health, and climate change.

Global Health

  • Ensuring U.S. collaboration with the WHO and other international agencies in global pandemic strategy and research, including U.S. participation in initiatives to develop and distribute diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines.
Last Reviewed: December 2020