Key considerations: emerging evidence on shielding vulnerable groups during COVID-19
This brief focuses on emerging evidence relevant to shielding, including research regarding social acceptability and implementation of shielding. The evidence is primarily drawn from low- and middle-income countries. Shielding is a term used to describe the protection of individuals at high risk of severe COVID-19 illness by separating them from the general population. When considering shielding, it is important to plan for socioeconomic impacts on the shielded, including psychosocial well-being, income generation, food access, and health service access. These are trade-offs that communities and individuals must weigh against the positive effects of shielding in the broader context of COVID-19 containment measures.
This brief provides summary considerations for adopting shielding, including:
- Terminology and meaning should be made clear.
- Mandatory shielding policies are unlikely to assure compliance.
- Shielding requires cross-sectoral management and buy-in from government, and those supporting from civil society and communities.
- Ongoing risk analysis must be integrated within any shielding intervention.
- Risk of domestic violence and abuse of women, girls and older adults has increased in some populations during COVID-19 lockdown.