COVID-19: Protecting people and societies
In only a few weeks, COVID-19 has profoundly changed our lives, causing tremendous
human suffering and challenging the most basic foundations of societal well-being.
Beyond the immediate impacts on health, jobs and incomes, the epidemic is increasing
people’s anxiety and worry, affecting their social relations, their trust in other
people and in institutions, their personal security and sense of belonging. The short
and medium-term impacts of COVID-19 will be particularly severe for the most disadvantaged
and risk compounding existing socio-economic divides. This policy brief looks at the
broad range of effects that COVID-19 will have on different aspects of people’s lives,
with a focus on specific population groups such as children, women and the elderly.
It calls for rapid and decisive action by governments in order to support the most
vulnerable people highlighting the importance of a broad and coordinated policy response
that includes strengthened social protection, education, health care, housing support
and specific interventions to enhance personal security of women and children, as
well as actions supporting vulnerable workers, small businesses, communities and regions
left behind.
Published on March 31, 2020Also available in: Spanish
In series:OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19)view more titles