Donate to UNICEF’s COVID-19 EMERGENCY fund
Inequitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines is leading to the emergence of new variants like Omicron. While more than 88% of eligible Canadians have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine — the situation is very different for families and communities in low-income countries, where only 9.4% of the population have received at least one dose. We must act swiftly to vaccinate the world against COVID-19, to get ahead of new and more infectious variants of the virus.
UNICEF, along with our COVAX partners, aim to deliver 4.1 billion doses to low- and middle-income countries in 2022, so that 70 per cent of each country’s population can be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of the year.
To date, UNICEF has delivered over 1 billion vaccines to 144 countries on behalf of COVAX. But we still urgently need your help so we can continue to our work to get COVID-19 vaccines to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. Your donation today will provide support for UNICEF’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts in low-income countries.
Please donate today to UNICEF’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund to ensure that people around the world have a fair chance at vaccine protection from COVID-19.
HOW MANY DOSES OF VACCINES WILL MY DONATION DELIVER?
The cost of delivering and administering the required two doses of COVID-19 vaccines is about $2.54 per recipient. That means:
- a gift of $12.70 will vaccinate five people
- a gift of $100 will vaccinate approximately 40 people
- a gift of $1,000 will vaccinate almost 400 people
WHAT IS UNICEF’S ROLE IN COVID-19 VACCINES DELIVERY?
UNICEF is the world’s leader in vaccine delivery. We already deliver more than 2 billion vaccines each year to nearly half the world’s children under age 5. Our global presence and expertise in vaccines delivery in challenging environments make us the organization best placed to deliver COVID-19 vaccines equitably and on a global scale.
We are responsible for leading end-to-end supply chain engagement, spanning procurement, international freight, logistics and country readiness, and in-country delivery.
This includes the monumental task of procuring and delivering COVID-19 vaccines, along with syringes and safe disposal boxes, from the point of production, to people in some of the world’s hardest-to-reach places. It’s an immense logistical challenge, especially considering that the vaccines need to be kept at cold temperatures, and many target areas lack reliable power and transportation routes.
UNICEF is also training local health workers to safely administer COVID-19 vaccines, as well as providing them with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to keep themselves and their communities safe.
We have an incredible opportunity to work together to close the gap of inequity and end the pandemic - and halt the damage to children’s futures. Please donate now to give vaccines.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE OMICRON COVID-19 VARIANT?
The highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 is driving an unprecedented surge of infections globally. There is consistent evidence that Omicron is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant in countries with documented community transmission, with a doubling time of 2-3 days. The overall risk related to this new variant remains very high.
New variants like Omicron are a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. It is therefore essential that people get the vaccine when available to them and continue to follow existing advice on preventing the spread of the virus, including physical distancing, wearing masks, regular handwashing and keeping indoor areas well ventilated.
It is also crucial that vaccines and other public health measures are accessible everywhere. Vaccine inequity leaves lower income countries – many of them in Africa – at the mercy of COVID-19. Well-supplied countries must urgently deliver the doses they promised.
The reality is no one is safe from COVID-19 until everyone is safe. Protecting high-income countries alone will not allow life to return to normal. The more opportunities the virus has to spread anywhere in the world, the more chances it has to mutate, allowing new variants to emerge. We are in a race against time and we need to act swiftly to vaccinate as many people globally as possible.
HOW ELSE IS UNICEF RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC?
UNICEF is in more than 190 countries and territories, partnering with the World Health Organization (WHO) and frontline responders to keep children healthy, learning and safe, no matter who they are or where they live.
In 2021*, generous people like you helped us:
- Deliver more than 910.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to 144 countries
- Support more than 110 million children to access formal or non-formal education
- Treat 2.4 million children with severe acute malnutrition
- Reach more than 34 million people with critical water, sanitation and hygiene supplies
- Ship more than 289.3 million gloves; 374.6 million surgical masks; 23 million N95 respirators; 10.3 million gowns; 543.7 million syringes; 6.2 million safety boxes for disposal of used syringes; 37,057 oxygen concentrators; and 8.6 million molecular diagnostics
*results are for the first 10 months of the 2021
WHY DOES UNICEF NEED MY HELP NOW?
Vaccines save lives, but to end the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines must be distributed equitably. With new COVID-19 variant cases surging around the world, and with several effective vaccines approved for emergency use, there’s not a moment to lose. Millions of people in hard-hit countries are still waiting for their first dose. The sooner we can deliver COVID-19 vaccines to everyone, the sooner the pandemic will stop having devastating impacts on the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people — including children, who have suffered its effects on every aspect of their childhood.
HOW WILL MY DONATION HELP CHILDREN?
COVID-19 is a child rights crisis that is threatening children’s safety, health and well-being. Globally, full and partial school closures affected 1.6 billion learners and lasted an average of 224 days. But in low- and middle-income countries, school closures often lasted longer than in high-income countries. This can have immediate and long-term consequences for children’s education, safety and mental health.
Without the safety net of school and other social services, children are at risk of exploitation, neglect and abuse. In some cases, they might need to forego their childhood in order to care for a sick parent, or work to supplement the family income.
Routine immunizations, treatment for severe acute malnutrition and other life-saving interventions were put on hold or shut down due to social distancing requirements and logistical and supply challenges. When immunizations are interrupted for more than a few weeks, increasing numbers of children are at-risk of contracting preventable diseases such as measles.
By donating to UNICEF Canada, Canadians have the opportunity to make a difference and support the vaccination of millions of people around the world. Together, we can get vaccines to those who need them most and save lives.