NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Former mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on Tuesday, that he would be committing $40 million to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19 in low and middle-income cities and countries around the world.The pledge follows an initiative he began last week to help mayors respond to the spread the coronavirus, by providing a virtual support network that connects them with public health experts and other mayors fighting the virus.
Last week, we launched an effort to help US mayors manage COVID-19," Bloomberg tweeted. "Today, @BloombergDotOrg is committing $40M to prevent and slow its spread around the world, particularly in Africa."
"Millions of lives depend on getting the coronavirus response right – and so does the economic and social health of communities around the world. We need to slow transmission of the virus and minimize the impact of the outbreak in all countries," a press release from said Michael Bloomberg said.
"As we launch the Coronavirus Local Response Initiative this week here in the U.S., we also are creating a new effort to prevent its spread globally, particularly in Africa. I know from my experience as mayor of New York City that giving public health professionals the tools to protect the public is vital to saving lives – and to help mitigate the kind of economic and social damage that could make this crisis even more debilitating for families and communities," the statement added.