Letters: Reader explains importance of assisting developing nations in COVID-19 fight

Dear Editor:

Things appear to be slowly returning to normal for the United States after over a year of struggling to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Many states are removing their mask mandates and over 150 million Americans have been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. Virginia, in particular, has seen great success with its vaccine programs, as 59.1 percent of Virginians have received at least one dose of a vaccine. This number is similar for the counties of Henrico and Chesterfield as well, with just under 60 percent of people being at least partially vaccinated.

With all of the optimism these domestic developments inspire, it is easy for the troubles much of the rest of the world is still experiencing to get lost in the weeds. While the pandemic caused worldwide economic stagnation and unemployment, developed industrialized countries always had the resources to bounce back once things began to return to normal. But for many developing countries, the circumstances of the past year undid years of economic progress. South Africa, for instance, saw between 2.2 to 2.8 million people lose their jobs at the outset of the global response according to a study by Adeola Oyenubi and Umakrishnan Kollamparambil published in Plos One journal. Even still today, the country has an unemployment rate of 32.6 percent and just 0.8 percent of residents are vaccinated according to Reuters.

These unfortunate developments spurred by COVID-19 are persisting due to a lack of resources and assistance from the larger international community. Without the help of powerful allies such as the United States, these countries and their people will undoubtedly continue to suffer. America has the economic and healthcare resources to make a difference in countries and help them get back on track, it is simply a question of doing so. It is not a one-sided exchange either, many of these developing countries that are struggling in dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic, such as India, have emerged as important economic players on a global level. Speaking even more broadly, 50 percent of global economic growth comes from developing countries, and half of United States exports go to such countries. Providing these countries with access to crucial resources such as vaccines is not just humanitarian altruism, it is strong international business policy as well.

President Joe Biden’s administration recently announced that the United States will be purchasing 500 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to donate to the world. While this is a great start, there is still room for more to be done. Less than 1% of the federal budget is allocated for foreign aid. According to The Borgen Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing global poverty, the problem of global poverty is huge, but the solutions are easy, affordable, and proven to work. In order for us to move past COVID-19, the rest of the world has to as well This is why addressing the issue of global poverty is of paramount importance to the United States. Call your senators and your representatives and let them know you support increasing the international affairs budget as well as international COVID-19 relief. By mobilizing our communities, we can ensure that the pandemic is merely a setback, not an insurmountable obstacle.

To learn more about the effects of global poverty on human rights and welfare, international relations and national security, visit theborgenproject.org.

Sincerely,
Andrew Hess, Henrico