#NEXT MEETING SOON MAKE IT OBVIOUS HOW TO#
#NEXT MEETING SOON MAKE IT OBVIOUS FULL#

#NEXT MEETING SOON MAKE IT OBVIOUS HOW TO#

We funded late-stage clinical development of the vaccine between 20 and continue to support research into how to optimize its effectiveness. Malaria kills nearly 650,000 people every year-more than half of them children under five-and remains one of the leading causes of death in low-income countries. One of the most exciting things that happened was WHO approval of the first malaria vaccine. (This year’s Goalkeepers Report outlines how the pandemic hasn’t set us back as badly as feared.) The global health and development teams have found creative ways to protect advancements on diseases like polio, TB, and HIV and continue progress in reducing childhood mortality. Program is working with partners to help students and teachers navigate the strange new world of pandemic-era education, and my colleagues working on gender equality are fighting for a more equitable global recovery.

It’s inspiring to hear how groups are working together to find solutions.Īlthough COVID-19 has been a huge focus, the foundation continues to make progress in other areas. Each meeting focuses on a different topic, like disease modelling or vaccine distribution.

Most weeks, we have a virtual get-together with everyone who’s working on our COVID response. The foundation continues to take up the bulk of my time, and I’m blown away by the amazing progress made by our team and our partners in 2021. (Satellite image 2021 Maxar Technologies/Getty)Ĭollaboration has been a constant theme with my work this year. (Just look at how one container ship stuck in the Suez Canal for a week caused shipping delays around the world.) It’s never been clearer that tackling big problems requires people working together across borders and sectors.Ī large cargo ship became lodged in the Suez Canal, halting global commerce for six days in March. Every time you looked at the news, you were reminded of just how significantly something happening on the other side of the world could affect you at home.

#NEXT MEETING SOON MAKE IT OBVIOUS FULL#

2021 was full of monumental events with global repercussions, including extreme weather events, the ongoing effects of the pandemic, and America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. My personal world has never felt smaller than it did over the last twelve months.Īt the same time, this year was a reminder that our world is more connected than ever. It’s been a strange and disorienting experience. Once I got vaccinated, I started having some small in-person get-togethers, but my social life is still a lot more digital than it used to be. After work, I’d play bridge with friends online or hang out with them over video chat. If I had a break between meetings, I’d walk around my yard just to see something different. I had stretches of time without any face-to-face social interaction. For me, the result has been a year spent mostly online. We’ve all had to adapt to a “new normal,” although what that looks like is different for every person. In 2021, the pandemic has dominated our lives since day one. (I suspect a lot of the people reading this might say the same.) 2020 had a brief period of relative normalcy before COVID-19 upended everything. The result has been the most unusual and difficult year of my life.

Like many people, there were entire days this year when the only human interaction I had was through a screen. But I don’t think either of us ever foresaw a future where they would be your only connection to the world. When Paul and I were starting Microsoft, we had a vision that personal computers would one day play a significant role in people’s lives.

Next meeting soon make it obvious