The COVID-19 pandemic has been the biggest disaster in living memory, on almost any measure.Over 6.5 million people are confirmed to have died in less than 3 years, and the pandemic’s indirect impacts have touched the lives of virtually every community on the planet. Our World Disasters Report 2022 focuses on the coronavirus pandemic and preparedness: both the ways preparedness ahead of COVID-19 was inadequate, and how the world can prepare more effectively for future public health emergencies. For the IFRC, preparedness encompasses preventing, responding to, and recovering from an emergency. Being truly prepared therefore means being ready to respond, to recover, and to learn lessons for next time. In other words, preparedness is an ongoing, continuous process. We can save lives simply by being prepared. The next pandemic could be just around the corner: if the experience of COVID-19 won’t quicken our steps toward preparedness, what will?

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on individuals and communities worldwide. The IFRC's Everyone Counts Report shares findings and learnings from the collective efforts of at least 180 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies during COVID-19. It highlights the fundamental strengths of the IFRC network, our ability to be innovative and quick to adapt to new operational contexts, while sustaining the trust of communities. And it shows how our focus on building equity and global resilience helped the communities we partnered with face this unprecedented global challenge.