New strategy may change the course of evolving COVID-19 pandemic Launched in April 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO), European Commission, France and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the ACT Accelerator is a partnership of leading public health agencies with equity at its heart. In under a year, the ACT Accelerator has driven real progress to accelerate the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has accelerated the development of COVID-19 tests, treatments, vaccines and health systems and transformed the ability to tackle COVID-19 on a global scale, but only if the world can ensure the equitable distribution of these vital tools.