The dramatic impacts of COVID-19 are clear: millions of lives lost, healthcare systems devastated, and a global economic crisis from which it will take years to recover. Although nearly 50 percent of the U.S. population is already fully vaccinated, fewer than 1 percent of people living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have been vaccinated. SARS-CoV-2 variants that emerge in other parts of the world will remain a significant threat until the herd immunity rate of 80 percent is reached globally.

After years of U.S. retreat from the international community, the Biden-Harris administration can restore the United States’ standing as a global leader and put the world on a path to recovery by using its considerable tools, resources, and remaining influence to strengthen the supply chains and healthcare systems necessary to distribute vaccines. The Biden-Harris administration should use these resources to ensure that vaccines are distributed equitably, efficiently, and effectively around the world as it would not only restore U.S. global public health leadership, but also prevent the emergence of future coronavirus variants. Amid the successful and speedy development of vaccines while new, more contagious variants are ravaging countries like India, now is the time for the United States to step up. The United States and its allies have the capacity to strengthen vaccine supply chains globally though both engaging in strong public–private partnerships, especially with global logistics companies, and through the use of existing multilateral architecture, especially the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility. Failing to do so would not only result in increased loss of life and further economic downturn, but also prove detrimental to the United States’ standing in the world.

The Biden-Harris administration should consider the following recommendations:

• Leverage existing multilateral architecture, particularly COVAX, to strengthen supply chains and expand global capacities to deliver vaccines.
• Strengthen public–private partnerships to help fill gaps and leverage private-sector knowledge and capacity to move quickly, securely, and efficiently.
• Ensure that outdated policies, especially those surrounding trade, taxation, and customs, do not slow or prevent global distribution.
• Adopt a whole-of-government approach that takes full advantage of various agencies’ institutional and technical capabilities but also delineates clear roles and responsibilities for each agency.
• Engage and integrate local and grassroots actors, whose perspectives are invaluable to understanding healthcare systems, access to healthcare, and community outreach.