Red tape strangles viral surveillance programs | Science

Viral surveillance is crucial to detecting isolated disease outbreaks and preventing them from growing into epidemics or pandemics. Gaps in disease surveillance contributed to the 2020 COVID pandemic (1) and the 2014 Ebola outbreak (2). Because viruses know no borders, US viral surveillance relies on sending reagents, which are used to detect the presence of specific viruses, to countries where outbreaks are likely to emerge. However, changes in US export controls have hindered these efforts.