Session 18

Mitigating COVID-19’s impact on health inequalities

Investing in an equitable and resilient recovery

Organised by EuroHealthNet, The Health Foundation and Trimbos Instituut, The Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction

Covid-19 has already changed the world as we knew it. Is has played out against a backdrop of challenges such as poverty, inequalities, and the climate emergency. For many, the links between health and wider society have never been clearer. We have to act quickly to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis on health outcomes, inequalities and ‘deaths of despair’ as much as possible. This requires the best evidence to strengthen and invest in public health and social responses, new models of partnership, and learning from each other’s experiences.

This session will discuss the direct and indirect effects of Covid-19 on health, mental health and health equity, with a specific focus on race and ethnicity as the “elephant in the room”. Speakers will exchange on public health and social policy interventions to mitigate the socio-economic consequences of the crisis, focusing on health-promoting initiatives and community-based settings. The session will promote a systemic approach to tackling health inequalities, advancing intersectoral policy recommendations for an inclusive, resilient and sustainable EU and Member State recovery.

Organisers