SSIR Guide to COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

(Illustration by iStock/anilyanik)

As the number of people in the United States vaccinated against COVID-19 steadily increases, challenges remain to inoculating other parts of the world. Distributing the shots as soon as possible would save more lives, reduce virus mutations, and alleviate even greater economic suffering, and an expected surplus of the medicine in the US has raised questions about how to spread the supply across the globe. How might the social sector help create or reinforce the systems this massive undertaking will require? What resources would local health officials and health workers need? Civil society leaders searching for ways to help can find insight in these articles:

1. How Philanthropy Can Support Equitable Vaccine Distribution

Four ways philanthropy can effectively partner with governments to support equitable vaccination distribution and ensure that more individuals are vaccinated against COVID-19.

Rethinking Social Change in the Face of Coronavirus

In this series, SSIR will present insight from social change leaders around the globe to help organizations face the systemic, operational, and strategic challenges related to COVID-19 that will test the limits of their capabilities. FOLLOW THIS SERIES

You'll get email alerts when there is new content in this series.

SIGN UP

2. How to Ensure Medical Devices Help Communities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Governments, foundations, and social enterprises that want to ramp up the production and distribution of medical equipment in response to COVID-19 and other ongoing threats need to assess the process holistically or risk overpromising and underdelivering on important aid for low- and middle-income countries.

3. Orchestrating Systems-Level Change in the Battle Against COVID-19

How individuals and coalitions are orchestrating and activating neglected resources to help end the pandemic and build more resilient health systems.

4. Lessons From Journalists on Building Trust With Local Communities During Crises

Any organization tasked with getting critical information to local communities—whether responding to a crisis like the pandemic or trying to challenge social injustices—needs a strategy for making sure their message is believed. Journalism offers insight into building trust as people's wariness threatens the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines.

5. On-Demand Medical Drone Delivery

Using autonomous drones, the company Zipline can deliver blood products and medicines for immediate medical treatment in remote areas. (Learn more about subscribing to SSIR)

6. Routine Health Care in the Time of Ebola

An organization’s response to a wide-scale Ebola outbreak provides six lessons in sustainable impact for NGO leaders.

7. Bringing Health Care Into Communities

Community health workers at the front lines of the pandemic are providing essential care for underserved populations.

8. A Nonprofit Networked Platform for Global Health

Project ECHO developed a revolutionary model for helping doctors and clinicians in New Mexico to treat hepatitis C. It spread around the world to address numerous chronic diseases. With the COVID-19 pandemic, it found its moment. (Learn more about subscribing to SSIR)

9. The Private Sector’s Role in Improving Global Health

Global health is one of the last frontiers for technical innovation. Companies can have an incredible impact by lending technical know-how to solve intricate global health challenges.

10. Surgical Device Industry Should Lead the Way Toward Health Equity and Global Development

Massive investment in surgical care is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and improving health equity. The surgical device industry should take the lead.

Read more stories by SSIR Editors.