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COVID-19

No country has been left untouched by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governments all over the world have taken drastic social and economic

measures in order to deal with this crisis.

NATIONAL POLICY RESPONSES

Already in early 2020, the first important social security More recently, discussions have turned from emergency
national policy responses were observed. The ISSA crisis responses to addressing the longer-term impact of
analysed the extensive use of short-term work and partial the crisis, such as the phasing out of extraordinary
unemployment schemes, the extension of sickness and measures, the financing of social security and how
family benefits, and the use of temporary flexibility and coverage gaps can be filled for the future. The ISSA
exemptions for social security contributions. continues to provide a relevant platform for the analysis
and discussion of the social security ingredients for an
As the pandemic continued to develop and new waves inclusive recovery.
broke across countries and regions, the ISSA monitored
how measures were extended and adjusted and new ones
introduced. Lockdown measures obviously had a severe
impact on economic activity and jobs, but also on the
health and well-being of people due to restrictions on
their social life.

SOCIAL SECURITY RESPONSES ANALYSES

- Health-care benefits and access Analyses of global, national and regional
- Sickness benefits developments of social security responses to
- Unemployment protection COVID-19 are available on the ISSA website.
- Employment retention benefits
- Emergency social protection of vulnerable groups COUNTRY MEASURES MONITOR
- Family-related benefits
- Contribution obligations The ISSA has mapped over 1,600 social security
- Occupational diseases and prevention measures in 206 countries and territories.
www.issa.int/coronavirus

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