Faced with COVID-19 (Coronavirus), countries are taking drastic action based on little information. Two tests can help governments shorten and soften economically costly suppression measures while still containing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The first-a PCR assay-identifies people...

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has imposed a heavy toll on economies worldwide, nearly halting economic activity. Although most firms should be viable when economic activity resumes, cash flows have collapsed, possibly triggering inefficient bankruptcies with long-term detrimental effects....

Experiences from previous pandemics and large-scale shocks show that these crises often affect men and women differently. Specifically, the effectiveness of policy actions and the prevention of costly reversals in the progress achieved towards greater gender equality will crucially depend on how...

Maintaining trade flows as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic will be crucial in providing access to essential food and health supplies and in limiting the negative impacts on jobs and poverty. The implementation of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement...

As the global COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic continues to unfold, young children will be especially vulnerable. World Bank teams can work with client countries to support early childhood development (ECD) by leveraging a range of interventions and mechanisms that will be part of the COVID-19...

Young children need comprehensive nurturing care which includes good health, adequate nutrition, early learning opportunities, responsive caregiving, and safety and security. Severe, lifelong impacts can result from deprivations during the early years if children do not have these critical...

This note provides practical guidance to national governments about key priorities for the education sector following a major disaster or crisis. It specifies a set of considerations and actions to help ensure that the education sector can: (1) maintain its core functions in the midst of a...

This guide provides practical guidance for governments regarding how to effectively communicate with communities during the recovery phase following an emergency. It explains how to identify communication needs and presents best fit communication methods and strategies to deploy to support...

Disasters and emergencies often have disproportionate impacts on a country's health system and the overall health of women, men, girls, and boys. The interruptions of routine public health programs, such as vaccination campaigns, are common in the wake of a disaster, setting back gains to...

It is often assumed that all members of a population experience the impact of disasters in the same way. In the pre-disaster context, women's and girls' unequal access to social, political, and economic resources influences their access to post-disaster assistance and compensation for damage and...