The facility at Ft. Detrick was ordered to shut down last summer.
Frederick, Md (KM) The US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick is returning to full operational capacity. That announcement was made in a news release from the offices of Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Representatives David Trone and Jamie Raskin.
“USAMRIID conducts vital research on the spread and containment of infectious diseases. As we continue to battle the coronvirus outbreak, ensuring their ability to work at full capacity is more important now more than ever,” says Senator Van Hollen, in a statement. “We fought hard to ensure USAMRIID had the resources necessary to receive CDC approval and get back to full operational capacity. We will continue to support funding for USAMRIID to carry out its crucial mission.
USAMRIID was ordered to shut down last summer by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention due to concerns about a lack of periodic training for employees and problems with its wastewater decontamination systems.
The Institute has served as the Department of Defense’s lead laboratory for medical biological defense research since 1969, according to USAMRIID. It scientists work to protect the war fighter from biological threats and investigate disease outbreaks and threats to public health.
USAMRIID says as part of the DOD’s Global Emerging Infectious Surveillance program, it’s duplicating samples of the coronavirus for vaccine development and sending reagents to detect the coronavirus to DOD labs across the world.
“The coronavirus outbreak only emphasizes the absolute necessity to fully fund USAMRIID and the work of the scientist and staff in a sustained model for years to come,” says 6th District Representative David Trone, in a statement.
By Kevin McManus
