With over 110 million cases worldwide, the rapid spread of the COVID-19 within the U.S. and to more than 192 countries and regions has demonstrated that a disease threat anywhere is a disease threat everywhere. In today’s interconnected world, it only takes 36 hours for a pathogen to spread around the globe – a threat that is an even more real when 70% of the world remains underprepared to prevent, detect, and respond to a public health emergency.

As the world mobilizes to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Department and USAID have announced $1.6 billion in commitments for emergency global health and humanitarian funding. In the latest COVID-19 relief package, Congress appropriated an additional $4 billion in emergency funding for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance – but significantly more funding is needed for the global response to meet the urgent and growing needs around the world.

In this series of issue briefs below, the USGLC takes an in-depth look at the global pandemic response and COVID-19’s impacts on vulnerable populations, global development and diplomacy, and the future of U.S. global leadership.

“No matter how successful we are in fighting the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, we will never stop it unless we are also fighting it around the world.”

Admiral James Stavridis (Ret.) and General Tony Zinni (Ret.) – March 21, 2020

“As dangerous new COVID strains reach our shores and the World Bank warns of further economic risk and uncertainty, the need for $20 billion in total emergency resources for the global response to COVID-19 could not be more pressing to protect our own domestic health and economic security.”

Liz Schrayer, President and CEO, USGLC – January 14, 2021