21 March 2020 - As a humanitarian organization, we are deeply concerned by the devastating impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on the millions of people living in countries that are already deeply affected, and the possible impact that it may have on the rest of the world as it continues to spread.
While the impact of this global crisis has been felt mostly in China and Europe to date, we are very deeply alarmed by the impact that a spread of the virus could have on the millions of people already in need living in countries affected by humanitarian crises throughout the world, millions of whom are supported by our organization. The spread of the virus to these fragile contexts would be truly devastating, deepening already dire humanitarian conditions and further straining fragile health systems.
This is why, as we rush to take a range of measures to protect our staff and to the best degree possible our beneficiaries throughout the world, our utmost priority remains to keep providing to the 17 million of vulnerable people we serve throughout the world the vital support we deliver through our programs.
In practical terms, we have already taken measures to minimize exposure to the virus within the organization, including maximizing work from home modalities and strengthening prevention and hygiene procedures across our operations to minimize risk to beneficiaries.
Beyond adapting our working and delivery modalities to maximize safety for all, we are working in earnest to identify practical ways to support the COVID19 response in the 37 countries in which we operate wherever we can make a difference.
