Coronavirus global health emergency

UN Sri Lanka highlights everyday heroes spreading solidarity amid pandemic

Like many countries around the world, Sri Lanka has faced a disruptive COVID-19 lockdown accompanied by a socio-economic fallout. Despite these challenges, many of its citizens have dedicated themselves to protecting their communities and ensuring the stability of the healthcare system, food supply and greater economy.

street with umbrellas hanging
António Guterres

"It is imperative that we rebuild the tourism sector"

Tourism is one of the world’s most important economic sectors. It employs one in every ten people on Earth and provides livelihoods to hundreds of millions more. It boosts economies and enables countries to thrive. It allows people to experience some of the world’s cultural and natural riches and brings people closer to each other, highlighting our common humanity. That is why it has been so painful to see how tourism has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Rafael Sanz, a migrant from Venezuela, delivers dignity kits containing personal hygiene items to protect against spreading COVID-19 to migrants and refugees in Brazil.
UNIC Rio

UN driver delivers supplies during COVID-19 despite risk to family

Every day since the beginning of the pandemic, Rafael “Rafa” Sanz, a driver for the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Roraima, Brazil, follows a careful routine when arriving home. He takes off his shoes. He undresses and showers in an improvised stall in the backyard of his house. After spending the day helping protect migrants and refugees from COVID-19, he must be diligent to protect his family at home where his son is in declining health. 

Children get their temperature checked and use hand sanitizer
António Guterres

"The future of education is here"

Education is the key to personal development and the future of societies. It unlocks opportunities and narrows inequalities. It is the bedrock of informed, tolerant societies, and a primary driver of sustainable development. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the largest disruption of education ever. 

 

 

WHO poster

WHO: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) is working closely with global experts, governments and partners to rapidly expand scientific knowledge on this new virus, to track the spread and virulence of the virus, and to provide advice to countries and individuals on measures to protect health and prevent the spread of this outbreak. 

WHO’s response in countries

Find out how the WHO is working across its 149 country offices to assist communities all over the world.

What is a Coronavirus?

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Find out more about this novel coronavirus (nCoV) that has not been previously identified in humans.

FAQs

What are the symptoms of COVID-19? How can I protect myself? Should I worry about COVID-19? Get the answers.

Verified

Verified is a United Nations initiative to encourage us all to check the advice we share.

What’s New?

Recent additions to the website

COVID-19 Response logo

Information from the UN System

Everyone is talking about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Be sure to get your facts from reliable sources. The UN offices, field missions, agencies, funds and programmes are providing new information as it becomes available. Here are some of their resource pages.

UN staff form a circle with the SDG colours

Information for UN personnel

The United Nations is closely monitoring the situation with the COVID-19 outbreak. This page features important advisories, guidelines, resources, and materials on the COVID-19 outbreak for all UN duty stations, offices, personnel and their families, visitors, and UN healthcare workers, as well as advice on maintaining wellness. It is updated with the latest available information.

 

Meetings

Get information on UN meetings that are being held virtually due to COVID-19.

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Communication Materials

Social media posters, advice for patients and health workers and key scenarios for printing

UNICEF staff unload vital medical supplies

4 September 2020 - UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will be leading procurement and supply of COVID-19 vaccinations to ensure that all countries have safe, fast and equitable access to initial doses when they are available, the agency has announced.

 

woman with young children at home

2 September 2020 - Children in the world’s richest countries are grappling with mental health concerns, obesity and poor social and academic skills, according to a new study published on Thursday by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). 

 

group of women with masks

31 August 2020 - Highlighting the disproportionate and devastating socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on women and girls globally, The UN chief António Guterres called on Monday for a major push to prevent “years, even generations” worth of progress on women’s empowerment, from being lost to the pandemic. 

 

A first-of-its-kind televised and digitally streamed concert called on leaders and citizens across the region to work together and with the rest of the world in the fight against COVID-19. The concert pays tribute to essential workers across the Pacific for the work they’ve done so far to prevent transmission and save lives and a call, through music and art, for continued solidarity in the fight against COVID-19. 

 

 

UNICEF teamed up with the Marley family, Tuff Gong International and Amplified Music to reimagine the iconic song One Love – bringing people together to help children and their families recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and build a better world.

Boris Cheshirkov carrying a refugee child on a stretcher with the help of another person.

As we mark five years after Europe’s refugee crisis, we revisit Awake at Night's episode with Boris Cheshirkov, who worked for UNHCR as a spokesperson in his native Bulgaria when thousands of refugees were arriving at the border.