Elsevier created a free COVID-19 resource center in 2020 with English and Mandarin information. The center allows free access to research in PubMed Central and WHO databases. The study presents the 36-item COVID Stress Scales (CSS) to measure stress and anxiety related to COVID-19. The CSS were developed to assess distress and adapt for future pandemics. The scales were validated in Canadian and U.S. samples, showing a stable 5-factor structure: danger and contamination fears, economic consequences fears, xenophobia, compulsive checking and reassurance seeking, and traumatic stress symptoms. The scales demonstrated good reliability and validity, with high internal consistency and intercorrelations, suggesting a coherent COVID Stress Syndrome. The CSS can help identify individuals needing mental health services and understand pandemic-related distress. The study highlights the importance of measuring psychological responses to pandemics, including xenophobia, and provides a tool for future research and public health planning. The CSS is a multidimensional measure of stress and anxiety related to COVID-19, with potential for predicting behaviors like hygiene and social distancing. The study also notes the need for further research on the predictive utility of the CSS and the role of xenophobia in pandemic responses. The CSS is a valuable tool for understanding and addressing mental health needs during and after pandemics.Elsevier created a free COVID-19 resource center in 2020 with English and Mandarin information. The center allows free access to research in PubMed Central and WHO databases. The study presents the 36-item COVID Stress Scales (CSS) to measure stress and anxiety related to COVID-19. The CSS were developed to assess distress and adapt for future pandemics. The scales were validated in Canadian and U.S. samples, showing a stable 5-factor structure: danger and contamination fears, economic consequences fears, xenophobia, compulsive checking and reassurance seeking, and traumatic stress symptoms. The scales demonstrated good reliability and validity, with high internal consistency and intercorrelations, suggesting a coherent COVID Stress Syndrome. The CSS can help identify individuals needing mental health services and understand pandemic-related distress. The study highlights the importance of measuring psychological responses to pandemics, including xenophobia, and provides a tool for future research and public health planning. The CSS is a multidimensional measure of stress and anxiety related to COVID-19, with potential for predicting behaviors like hygiene and social distancing. The study also notes the need for further research on the predictive utility of the CSS and the role of xenophobia in pandemic responses. The CSS is a valuable tool for understanding and addressing mental health needs during and after pandemics.