Tech giant Google this week said that overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic will require a coordinated effort on a global scale.
As part of its efforts, Google is to provide 250,000 COVID-19 vaccines to countries in need.
The company will help to fund pop-up vaccine sites in the U.S. and it is committing an additional US$250 million in ad grants to connect people to accurate vaccine information.
“To do our part, today we’re announcing that we’re providing 250,000 COVID-19 vaccinations to countries in need, helping fund pop-up vaccine sites in the U.S., and committing an additional $250 million in Ad Grants to connect people to accurate vaccine information,” Google Health’s Karen DeSalvo, MD, M.P.H. Chief Health Officer Health wrote in a blog post on Thursday.
DeSalvo informed that people, can now find vaccination locations on Google Maps and Search in the U.S., Canada, France, Chile, India and Singapore, making it easier for people to locate vaccination sites in these countries.
Under Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance, Google said its charitable arm Google.org is funding vaccinations for 250,000 people. It is providing technical support to push global distribution.
Gavi stands for Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation. It is a global program to help and support low-income countries with vaccines and immunisation.
“Google.org is funding vaccinations for 250,000 people and providing Gavi with pro bono technical assistance to accelerate global distribution. We’re also kicking off an employee giving campaign. And both the Gavi Matching Fund and Google.org will match each donation to triple the impact,” DeSalvo said in the blog post.
While the company pledge funding doses for people, since February this year, Google has been providing vaccine-related insights to Gavi. It has been helping Gavi better educate communities about the COVID-19 vaccines.
“They’ve used that information to create educational content that reaches more than half a million people each day. We’re now committing $15 million in Ad Grants to help Gavi build on these efforts and amplify their fundraising campaign,” DeSalvo shared in the blog post.