“The Lancet Microbe, our new open access journal’s first issue is now live. SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 inevitably set the tone in the inaugural issue, as reflected in the artwork on the cover by David S Goodsell. The journal, in its first Editorial, commits to supporting work on SARS-CoV-2 long after it has left the headlines and to ensuring that other pathogens are not overshadowed. The Editors quote ‘current events have also made it clear that a journal such as ours has arrived just in time to help the microbial research community as it works tirelessly to uncover the inner workings of SARS-CoV-2.’ Also included are two Research Articles on MCR1 in Ecoli.” Read the first issue here.