#Thread

Shockingly, tomorrow marks the 1st G7 leaders meeting since #COVID19 began. It comes amid a crisis that's been as devastating to lives & livelihoods as any war.

So far the world has failed to mobilize the money & leadership we would muster if faced w/ a global conflict.

The impact of #COVID19 has been stunning: nearly 2.5M lives lost, 110M cases, massive job losses & it’s costing us over $1B every day.

Make no mistake: Our entire planet has been under a sustained attack for over a year – one that's been as brutal as any war in recent history.

Here’s the big problem: We’ve yet to adopt a war footing and rally globally to beat back this threat – there is no coordinated global plan for resourcing PPE, ensuring simultaneous global vaccine coverage or tackling the damage inflicted upon the global economy.

What is the net result of our nonexistent global #COVID19 strategy?

We’ve extended the lifespan of this pandemic and given the virus ample room to spread and mutate.

This is a race against a virus. The virus is still moving faster than we are. It’s winning.

Step 1 to move towards a war-footing against this virus: Exercise global leadership.

Tomorrow G7 leaders will meet for the 1st time since this pandemic began. The heads of state are well-equipped to lead the global fight against this virus, and they’ve done it before.

G7 leaders can part ways with the every-country-for-itself approach that has left lower-income countries to fend for themselves and begin a strategy that is not only more equitable but is also epidemiologically smart.

G7 leaders can take the first step in the development of a global strategy that denies the virus any quarter and marshals the unity and common purpose that's helped us defeat prior global health crises.

G7 leaders have the tools to win this battle – not just the vaccines to beat the virus, but the means to produce enough to protect the world, the logistical capacity to distribute them globally & the financial tools to ensure that every country can limit further economic damage.

Political will is as powerful as any weapon. In past moments of extreme danger, #G7 leaders have thrown away the rulebook to protect citizens and secure victory. That same mindset is desperately needed now.

. @POTUS has wisely called for a “wartime” footing to end this global pandemic. Let’s hope he and fellow leaders use tomorrow's #G7 meeting to channel that spirit.

This is the fight of our lives. Our leaders must step up against #COVID19. https://www.one.org/international/blog/g7-leaders-must-step-up-against-covid/