Media CenterCRS Applauds Administration's COVAX Funding Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Nikki Gamer
Catholic Relief Services
[email protected]
(978) 884-0003
 

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, Feb. 22, 2020 – Catholic Relief Services (CRS) released the following statement in response to the administration's plan to provide $4 billion to COVAX, the international collaborative that's fast-tracking production and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in low-and-middle-income countries.

"By committing substantial funding to COVAX, the U.S. signals to the rest of the world that equity matters. Immunizing the most vulnerable populations—including in the U.S. and low-income countries—is vital to safeguarding everyone's health. The U.S. must continue to play a leadership role in these efforts. COVID-19 has dramatically impacted public health systems and local economies. While we are alarmed by the worsening secondary impacts of the virus, this announcement gives us renewed hope that we will see an eventual end of the pandemic.

CRS will work closely with governments and local partners to ensure vaccination distribution plans successfully reach all communities. We remain committed to the notion that to end the pandemic anywhere, we must end it everywhere."

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org and follow Catholic Relief Services on social media in English at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube; and in Spanish at: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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