At a glance
During the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC country offices leveraged their staff, existing relationships, critical resources, and on-the-ground assets to support partner countries in the areas of surveillance, laboratory, emergency management, and workforce development.
Leveraging decades of global partnerships
CDC and partners helped limit COVID-19 spread by using partnerships and adapting existing programs and public health infrastructure in countries.
CDC accelerated global COVID-19 vaccine access via the Global Vaccine Access initiative, leveraging longstanding partnerships and investments in global health. CDC collaborated closely with Ministries of Health and global partners worldwide.
Through these partnerships, CDC tailored support for:
- vaccine planning and implementation
- improved vaccine confidence and demand
- supported vaccine safety monitoring
- evaluated vaccines and vaccination programs
CDC's approach to global health prioritized hosts country ownership, investment in local partnerships, development of sustainable capabilities, and sharing of technical expertise.
Over 98% of CDC's Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) residents or graduates supported global COVID-19 investigations, data collection and analysis, and information dissemination.
CDC helped over 200 laboratories overseas get international accreditation CDC supported development and strengthening of over 30 national Emergency Operations Centers worldwide.
CDC's PEPFAR-supported investments in laboratory networks and systems were critical to COVID-19 diagnosis and surveillance. About 73% of PEPFAR-supported centralized labs implemented SARS-CoV-2 testing.
COVID-19 response stories
Explore a collection of materials that give voice, sight, and sound to the work of CDC staff based in countries around the world. Read stories and watch videos that capture how CDC country offices, ministries of health, governments, health officials, and global partners worked together to respond to COVID-19.
On the Frontlines: CDC's Work in Videos and Photos
Global COVID-19 journal supplement
The COVID-19 pandemic showed the world how a health threat anywhere can become a health threat everywhere. CDC worked hand-in-hand with global partners and ministries of health in more than 60 countries to respond to the pandemic. Read CDC's Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) 2022 supplement "CDC and Global Health Systems and Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic" which documents the pandemic response efforts and lessons learned.