It has now been more than two years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a public health emergency, and the pandemic continues to disrupt much of the world.
Though modern science has delivered many of the tools needed to fight the virus, a lack of equitable access leaves the world at risk of new variants, meaning that we are still far from the end of this pandemic.
But beyond case counts, variants and interruptions to daily life, COVID-19 has exposed the deep inequities and weaknesses in our health systems. The result is mounting pressure that is eroding trust and the security of communities and endangering the health of millions globally, in a world where an estimated six out of seven people already felt insecure prior to the pandemic.