An Urgent Mission to Deliver Vitamin A to Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Vitamin A is a powerhouse micronutrient that builds healthy immune systems and protects children from blindness and serious illnesses. Helen Keller is at work in places where children’s diets are deficient in vitamin A. Giving children high-dose vitamin A supplements every six months can save their lives. Evidence shows that supplementation of this kind can reduce childhood deaths by as much as a quarter. Unfortunately, COVID-19 resulted in the delay of large-scale vitamin A supplementation for safety reasons. We grappled with a heart-breaking dilemma: what if we prevented coronavirus but cost children their lives? We knew we MUST resume vitamin A supplementation programs quickly. Here’s how we did it — safely.