ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Laboratory Response Network

A laboratory response network is a group of people who work together to keep you safe when you get sick with a really bad virus or disease.

Imagine that you got really, really sick with something that nobody else has ever seen before, and you had to go to the hospital. The doctors and nurses would take care of you, but they might not know what kind of disease you have or what medicine to give you to make you better. That's where the laboratory response network comes in.

The laboratory response network is like a special team of scientists who study diseases and figure out how to make people better. They use special tools and machines to look at your blood, urine, and other bodily fluids to figure out what's wrong with you. Once they figure this out, they can come up with a plan to help you feel better.

But the laboratory response network isn't just in one place. There are many different people and groups all around the country who work together to keep everyone safe. They share information and work together to make sure that they're ready for any new diseases that might come along.

So if you ever get very sick, just remember that the laboratory response network is here to help you. They're like a team of superheroes who work behind the scenes to make sure that you're okay.