Harris to tell UN members to prepare for next pandemic

Vice President Harris on Monday will address the members of the United Nations as she warns that it is time to begin preparations for the next global pandemic.

The Associated Press reported that Harris will deliver remarks virtually to members of the organization and stress how countries should focus their efforts to prepare for another major pandemic.

“At the same time that the world works to get through this pandemic, we also know that we must prepare for the next,” Harris will say, according to excerpts of her speech obtained by the AP.

“We have been reminded that the status quo is not nearly good enough, and that innovation is indeed the path forward.”

The Hill has reached out to the White House for more information about the speech, which will be Harris’s second address to U.N. officials since taking office in January.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield will make similar remarks at the event, according to excerpts of her own speech shared with the AP.

“The takeaway from this past year is clear: The world barely withstood this pandemic,” Thomas-Greenfield’s remarks read. “We must be ready for the next.”

The remarks will come as much of the world is still struggling to control the COVID-19 pandemic; the U.S. remains the country with the most recorded cases while others, including India, are still experiencing shocking rates of new infections that threaten to overwhelm their hospital systems.

The U.S. announced last week that more than 200 million Americans have been vaccinated against COVID-19.