Globally, the number of people who have contracted COVID-19 continues to grow. As of March 17, there have been 194,217 confirmed cases and 7,864 deaths spanning 153 countries. The scale and spread of COVID-19 is a direct threat to countries where World Vision has programs, including nations with weak health systems, and especially where children and families are surviving as displaced persons or refugees.
For the first time in our history, World Vision has declared a Global Health Emergency Response, and you are invited to partner with us as we bring much-needed protective equipment, training, and meals to children and families in need.
With feet on the ground around the globe and strategically located supply centers, World Vision is in a strong position to respond quickly and efficiently with basic, high-impact interventions in the United States and abroad. Assessments taking into account transmission rates, ongoing humanitarian response needs, high mortality, health system capacity, population density, and proximity to the epicenter of the pandemic have identified 18 priority countries where we will focus our response, in addition to our ongoing work in the United States.
WHERE WORLD VISION IS RESPONDING
- United States
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Brazil
- China
- Haiti
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- India
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Kenya
- Lebanon
- Mongolia
- Philippines
- Senegal
- South Africa
- Syria
- Thailand
- Vietnam
HOW WORLD VISION IS RESPONDING
We are responding with activities designed to reach people with the most effective tool: information. And just as importantly, we are providing vital supplies to families and the health systems tasked with caring for the sick.
Planned activities vary by country and include:
- Supporting the non-health needs of children made vulnerable by COVID-19. Cash and voucher programs, food distributions, and care packs will help people forced to live in isolation during the pandemic. This also includes support to education ministries to continue lessons if schools are closed (home learning materials or activity packs). It also includes support for engaging and coordinating efforts of child protection advocates and social workers, sharing registration and care protocols to prevent separation of children from families, and preventing stigmatizing children and caregivers during treatment and isolation (psychological first aid).
- Promoting preventive tactics to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19, focusing on messages regarding handwashing, cough hygiene (coughing into one’s elbow or a tissue), and social isolation, or staying away from crowds. Community health workers/volunteers and faith leaders trained through our Channels of Hope model will play a vital role, as will radio and digital messaging. Families with children also will receive hand sanitizer and soap, plus masks if family members are sick with COVID. Hand-washing stations will be set up and maintained at communal gathering spots.
- Supporting health facilities so they can safely treat COVID-19 and continue key child health and nutrition services. This includes providing protective equipment such as masks and gloves as well as supplies that include pulse oximeters (to measure oxygen saturation) and infrared thermometers. Health volunteers will receive additional training and supplies for home case management, referrals, monitoring, and explaining the risks of COVID. We will help establish safe quarantine/isolation spaces, and provide transportation (drivers and vehicles) for carrying patients and medical specimens.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Join World Vision in responding to the coronavirus by donating cash or product or setting up a branded fundraising page for your customers and employees. Here are a few examples of how your gift can help:
- $75 can provide a Family Emergency Kit to feed and provide for a family of five in the U.S. for one week.
- $450 can provide 6 families in the U.S. with Family Emergency Kits.
- $1,000 can provide 250 international healthcare workers with a two-week supply of respirator masks
- $5,000 can provide 200 international families with thermometers, hand sanitizer, tissues, antibacterial soap and educational materials
- $6,000 can provide 100 children’s institutions in China with thermal scanning thermometers and disinfectants.
- $50,000 can provide 12,500 healthcare workers with a two-week supply of respirator masks.
- $100,000 can provide 4,000 families with thermometers, hand sanitizer, tissues, antibacterial soap, and educational materials.
WORLD VISION’S CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE
Responding to the new coronavirus outbreak in over 70 countries with the goal of reaching 72 million people, including 36 million children. Our COVID-19 response is focused on where children are most at risk: areas of conflict, urban slums, and refugee settlements. See how we are responding around the globe to Coronavirus.
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