Health systems across the world are under severe pressure to contain and mitigate the infection rate of COVID-19. The pandemic is revealing serious vulnerabilities and gaps in the health systems of many countries. These are impacting the capacities to control the pandemic, stabilize health
The COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted world economies and social security systems for over a year now. This article focuses on measures taken to secure the livelihoods of those whose employment relationship was cut.
The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of safety, health and well-being, and the role that social security institutions play to support their beneficiaries in navigating through the pandemic. By promoting a prevention culture, governments, workers, employers and social security
The closure of childcare centres and schools resulting from the COVID-19 lockdown measures has imposed a heavy strain on families, both on the children and their parents, and especially the mothers. The pandemic exposed yet again the preponderance of women in childcare and housework, raising once
Social protection systems have been one of the most effective instruments to mitigate the social, economic and health impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Governments worldwide moved swiftly to extend and adapt existing schemes and create new benefits to protect employment, prevent poverty and facilitate
As part of the wider economic stimulus packages to respond to the second wave of COVID-19, governments continue to temporarily defer the collection of social security contributions (SSC), or to exempt from or reduce the contribution payments of some population groups. To date, 68 countries have
The World Congress Digital Meeting on 5-6 October 2020, was an opportunity to reflect on occupational safety and health in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thought leaders from around the world discussed emerging innovations in addressing COVID-19 in the workplace, how the future of work is being
At the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the immediate response of governments has been massive in both scale and coverage, to cushion the health, social and economic impacts of the pandemic. A raft of emergency measures were urgently implemented including ad hoc income transfers and unemployment
The International Social Security Association (ISSA) is stepping up its work on rehabilitation, and is taking into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rehabilitation needs and capacities. The recently established ISSA Special Working Group on Rehabilitation has ambitious plans for the
As we mark International Migrants Day on 18 December, we put attention on how the COVID-19 pandemic has put a heavy toll on migrant workers around the globe. A recent report by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) outlined how
On 3 December 2020, the ISSA Social Security Virtual Summit for the Americas brought together more than 500 administrators, managers and experts in the field from across the region.
Across the world, the COVID-19 pandemic is exposing gaps in social security coverage. The crisis' impact is particularly severe in low- and middle-income countries where many workers, especially those in the informal sector, have no access to any form of social protection. The crisis prompted
In Europe, the second wave of the coronavirus has since September prompted the re-introduction of social distancing measures, restrictions to economic activity, telework, curfews and lockdowns. Without certainty on the duration of the health crisis and its knock-on effects on the economy
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed work arrangements. Teleworking has been introduced or expanded around the world to reduce the risk of infection at the workplace. This has also affected frontier workers in the European Union (EU). As they normally work in one country and reside in
Italy was one of the countries most affected by COVID-19 during the first semester 2020. In addition to a generalized lockdown starting on 10 March, wide-reaching social security measures to mitigate the health, social and economic impact of the coronavirus crisis were implemented. Two early decrees
On 10 September 2020, G20 labour and employment ministers met virtually to discuss the impact of, and necessary responses to, the COVID-19 crisis. Social protection was one of four priority areas highlighted in the declaration from the meeting. The ministers emphasized the need to work closely with
Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) has mapped over 1400 social security responses from more than 200 countries, territories and areas around the world. The ISSA’s database on Coronavirus country measures is now part of the Oxford Supertracker
Partial unemployment schemes, sometimes called short-term work schemes, are one of the key mechanisms to reduce both the degree of sudden economic downturns and their labour market and social impacts. As reported by the ISSA in March, these schemes, which allow employers to flexibly reduce working
To mitigate the social impact of the COVID-19 crisis, a significant number of countries have introduced temporary cash transfers to population groups in, or at risk of, poverty. These payments have responded to the specific needs of these vulnerable groups who are immediately affected by a reduction
North African countries reacted quite swiftly to the spread of the coronavirus. They declared national states of emergency, imposed widespread lockdowns and closed their borders from the very first cases of infection. Systems for testing and systematically monitoring confirmed cases were also put in
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a heavy toll on migrant workers around the globe, who are particularly vulnerable in terms of social protection coverage, and assistance is required from origin, transit and destination countries. While the specific type of support is linked to various factors, most
Malta implemented early measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and flatten the curve. Preparedness, physical isolation and quarantine, alongside a comprehensive programme of testing and contact tracing, allowed Malta to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Social security measures have played a key role to mitigate the health, social and economic impact of COVID-19 in France. A comprehensive package of social security responses was launched when health emergency was declared on 16 March.
A series of substantial measures have been taken in the Argentine Republic in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Of particular note among these are the financial bolstering of social security benefits, the strengthening of institutions’ digital customer-service channels and the launch of measures to
Social security institutions are an important face of government, particularly when disasters strike. As the turmoil and the global loss of lives and livelihoods caused by the coronavirus continue to rise, social security administrators are standing ground and keeping the promise: to deliver
In Spain, the government introduced a significant number of social security measures to mitigate the health, social and economic impact of COVID-19. The National Social Security Institute (INSS) and the General Treasury of Social Security (TGSS) have played a key role in implementing these measures
The current COVID-19 crisis has disrupted customer services in social security institutions worldwide. Institutions had to rapidly adapt their service delivery approaches to ensure the continuity of social security services while reducing personal interactions to a minimum. Furthermore, in the
In the People’s Republic of China, social security measures were an important component of the government’s emergency response in the context of COVID-19. The combination of adaptations to social security contributions and benefits with adjustments to operational processes and service delivery
Families and children are among the population groups heavily affected by the COVID-19 crisis, and social security systems have responded rapidly to meet their specific needs.
On the occasion of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) wants to pay tribute to all the courageous health workers who risk their lives to save others during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
