Helix Statement on the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan

March 2, 2022 -- We applaud the Biden Administration for recognizing in its newly released National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan the critical role that improved data collection, sequencing, and surveillance capabilities will play in helping us identify and combat new COVID-19 variants. The fact is that a strengthened national viral surveillance system will also bolster our country’s preparedness for the next, inevitable Disease X.

Leading private labs like Helix have the next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies needed to track and provide real-time data on new COVID-19 variants and other novel pathogens, and the Biden Administration has the legacy-defining opportunity to scale these technologies into a sustainable, national viral early-warning monitoring system. Only then can we arm first responders like hospitals and other public health leaders to improve outcomes for the American people.

We look forward to continuing to work with the government to ensure that our children and grandchildren are prepared for the next global health crisis which may be around the corner.