COVID-19 Global Pandemic

Closed

2020

North America

Our Impact

tons of supplies transported

pieces of personal protective equipment & other supplies delivered

medical responders sent

value (USD $) of flights provided to partner NGOs

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Our Response

Since Covid-19 first impacted the world in 2020, Airlink and our NGO partners have been working to help communities on every continent, including those in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Pandemics place a tremendous burden on health systems and the medical personnel that operate them, and COVID-19 has been no different. We have seen that in the US, Europe, and across many high-income countries.

For health systems operating in low-income countries, these challenges have become increasingly apparent. This is especially true in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa where community health workers have a vital role within healthcare systems and in crisis response but often lack the resources and support needed to provide services to communities.

A lack of hygiene items, including soap and access to clean water, limits access to necessary sanitation practices, such as handwashing, and has made combating the spread of COVID-19 more difficult.

Similarly, the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – which has come to be taken for granted in high-income countries – is a significant cost burden to individuals and local health systems in low-income countries where they often compete with high-income countries to purchase available supplies. Access to face masks, gloves, and other PPE items limit health workers’ ability to protect themselves from the transmission of COVID-19 and other illnesses.

In April 2020, Airlink launched the AviationC.A.R.E.S. (Co-ordinated Air Response for Emergency Supplies) campaign to provide a sustainable pipeline of airlift for relief organizations working to support communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beyond the immediate COVID-19 focused needs of relief organizations, this funding will be used to help fuel relief efforts for fragile communities enduring ongoing natural disasters during the pandemic.

Airlink’s global impact fund under the AviationC.A.R.E.S. umbrella aims to raise $10M in cash and in-kind support from individuals, corporate, and foundation donors to underwrite transportation and logistics for a growing network of nonprofit relief organizations.

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“Every challenge we face in the United States in the fight against COVID-19 is multiplied for people living in refugee camps. We can wash our hands and wipe down our groceries. We can use hand sanitizer after touching a surface. For the world’s most vulnerable, there is little clean water for washing hands. There is no soap and no hand sanitizer. Thanks to Airlink, Medical Teams is able to provide hygiene kits to refugees in Uganda – helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

— Corbin Walker, Humanitarian Logistics Advisor, Medical Teams International

“We’re putting our heart in action by providing essential air travel to transport critical relief workers and life-saving supplies. Southwest remains committed to helping communities thrive by partnering with organizations like Airlink to ensure medical personnel, services, and products are available where they’re needed most during this crisis.”

— Laura Nieto, Director of Community Outreach, Southwest Airlines

“Partnerships are instrumental to the success of any relief effort, and this is no different. Thanks to our partners at Flexport.org, Airlink, and United, we were able to get critically-needed PPE to the New York metropolitan area for distribution to hospitals on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

— Charles Redding, CEO and President of MedShare