On Apr. 15, 2021, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced it had had established a network of research sites to study the natural history, transmission and pathogenesis of influenza and provide an international research infrastructure to address influenza outbreaks.

The program, called the Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR), was expected to be supported for seven years by NIAID contracts to five institutions. Funding for the first year of the contracts will total approximately $24 million. CEIRR will replace the Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance program, which was supported by contracts that concluded on Mar. 31, 2021.