Bill And Melinda Gates’ Foundation Injects Another $250 Million Into The Battle Against Covid-19

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation just announced an additional $250 million commitment to strengthen efforts in the global fight to end the coronavirus pandemic. This brings the foundation’s total funding to the Covid-19 response to $1.75 billion, with the latest $250 million representing the largest single pledge aimed at the pandemic.

The new investment comes at a critical time. The scope of the devastation around the world has become more acute in recent weeks, with a surge to 69 million global cases and over 1.5 million deaths—including 15 million U.S. cases with nearly 290,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

At the same time, scientific breakthroughs needed to end the pandemic have been developed and approved with unprecedented speed and urgency to help end the pandemic. China and Russia have approved vaccines, the U.K. began inoculations this week, and the FDA is on the cusp of authorization approvals.

“It’s amazing to be sitting here in December and know that very soon the FDA is very likely going to approve the first vaccine that is already being distributed now in the U.K.,” says Melinda Gates during a phone interview. “I don’t think any of us could have predicted that we’d be at this point on March 30.”

The new funding will focus on two main areas: continued R&D for new Covid-19 tests, treatments and vaccines and improvements to the delivery methods of those innovations to ensure that they are distributed safely, equitably and as inexpensively as possible—at scale.

Most of all, the Gates Foundation hopes to ensure that low- and middle-income countries have access to cutting-edge technology, just like the rich countries. “They deserve to have the same tools that we have,” says Gates.

Suite Of Solutions

If there is going to be a global eradication of the virus, it will require investments in the logistics and supply chain, as well as preparation by clinics and healthcare workers to administer tests and vaccines and engaging with their communities so that they understand and trust what they are receiving.

“Our holy grail is cheap, effective and ideally single dose,” says Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation, during a video briefing. “Both for the price—it’s half as expensive—but also efficiency. You don’t have to track people coming back for a second dose, and it should be hopefully relatively easy to manufacture.”

What distinguishes Covid-19 from other vaccine and public health initiatives is the sheer volume. “We’re talking about vaccinating everybody, or at least 70% of everybody, which is still probably 10 billion doses,” says Suzman. “Just a reminder, even the existing vaccines are not yet proven safe and efficacious for children or pregnant mothers or others, so we may need a second wave of vaccines…That’s why continuing these investments is so important.”

Another issue is mistrust in the vaccines, fueled by conspiracy theories, something tthe foundation has dealt with before, particularly regarding contraceptives and childhood vaccines. “It’s been disheartening to see the disinformation because it does create vaccine hesitancy,” says Gates. “One reason is that more people are at home; they’re anxious for good reason because of Covid, they’re reading, and they’re getting fed disinformation. We’re going to have to have a reckoning when this is all over about how you put some good regulations on social media platforms so that disinformation isn’t spread so easily. Disinformation causes more deaths.”

But community role models may be even more meaningful than a digital clean-up, says Gates, adding: “More than likely, once people start to see healthcare workers taking the vaccine, elderly people, teachers taking it and getting back to some semblance of normal life, people are going to talk to their doctor and decide if it makes sense for them and more than likely so they can get back to living life in a more normal way.”

What Happens Next

The foundation has not identified specific partners or grantees yet but has previously funded international organizations for infectious disease and immunotherapy work, such as GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, as well as private biotechnology companies, such as BioNTech. According to the foundation, it has funded $16 billion for the discovery, development and delivery of life-saving vaccines through 2019.

“We can be capitalistic as a philanthropy, and we can take some riskier investments, but this execution really requires pulling together the public and private sector,” says Suzman. “And it’s worth noting and remembering that the U.S. has historically been the global leader in healthcare efforts like this.” The Gates have had ongoing conversations with Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, and are waiting for the Biden administration to take office for further discussions.

“We will be looking on a case-by-case basis where the greatest needs are and where there are opportunities,” Suzman continues. He predicts that where the foundation goes, others will follow. “A lot of what we’re trying to do is get support from other partners. And to the extent our work can be sort of seed funding that accelerates or helps crowdsource others.”

Within days of the news of the U.S. Covid-19 breakout—with the first case recorded in Seattle, home of the Gates Foundation, on January 20—Bill and Melinda Gates were aware of the threat. “We were getting information and starting to say, ‘Oh, gosh, how quickly is this thing going to go?’” she recalls.

After 20 years working in public health and infectious diseases, this time their mission came close to the hearth and heart. “We have two close friends in March who had family members who had Covid,” Gates says. “I was in touch with both people multiple times a day. It was terrifying to see what their families were going through. I know how scary this disease can be.”