As a global community, we have made remarkable progress to control the COVID-19 pandemic. “Yet without continued action, lives and livelihoods will continue to be at risk,” said Vice President Kamala Harris at the Second COVID-19 Summit. “In our collective words and actions, we are all making clear complacency is not an option.”
“Our goals are twofold: One, we must continue to respond to the threat. And two, we must prepare for the future. As long as the COVID virus is present in one country, it impacts all of us.”
That is why the United States is calling on our friends, allies and partners to redouble the effort to control the COVID-19 pandemic, and just as importantly, to prepare for future health emergencies. “This summit is an opportunity to renew our efforts, to keep our foot on the gas when it comes to getting this pandemic under control and preventing future health crises,” said President Joe Biden.
The United States is leading the way in investing in the global effort to vaccinate the world, save lives, and improve health security to prevent future health crises.
Working in partnership with COVAX and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust, as well as one on one with individual countries, the United States has donated over 539 million doses to 115 countries, and provided lifesaving tests, treatments, and supplies. At the same time, we work with numerous countries in preparation for the next pandemic. In the future, “The United States will share critical COVID-19 technologies through the World Health Organization COVID-19 Technology Access Pool,” said President Biden.
“We’re making available health technologies that are owned by the United States government, including stabilized spike protein that is used in many COVID-19 vaccines.
We’re standing up a new pilot program, working with the Global Fund, to expand access to rapid testing and antiviral treatments for people in harder-to-reach areas.
And we’re increasing our support for a new Pandemic Preparedness and Global Health Security financial intermediary fund that will be established at the World Bank this summer with $450 million in seed funding.”
“We’re going to face, together, global health crises. … It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when,” said President Biden. “We have to start working to prevent the next variant and the next pandemic now. … That’s going to require … all of us to do more.
Controlling COVID Today, Forestalling Tomorrow's Emergencies
The United States is calling on our friends, allies and partners to redouble the effort to control the COVID-19 pandemic, and just as importantly, to prepare for future health emergencies.
