Responding to COVID-19 in global south cities

The key to beating Coronavirus COVID-19 in global south cities is in containing it before it takes hold. Healthcare systems which are already stretched, and large numbers of people with underlying health conditions, make many cities and their residents highly vulnerable to this virus. With case numbers still low in many global south cities, particularly across Africa, there is a window of opportunity to take swift action now, informed by experience in cities already dealing with COVID-19. With the global travel, hospitality and other industries all but closed down, there are also opportunities to reassign people with useful skills, and facilities with useful resources, to support the COVID-19 response.