The COVID-19 pandemic is the most severe worldwide public health crisis since the ‘Hong Kong Flu’ of the late 1970s.1 According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the number of confirmed deaths worldwide from COVID-19 by December 2020 surpassed 1.5 million. This rapidly spreading virus tested the limits of governance soon after its outbreak. On the one hand, the strength and speed of government responses to a pandemic prevent infection and save lives (Wilder-Smith et al, 2020); but on the other hand, the public will only tolerate so much government ‘lockdown’ and will engage in behaviours that cause political turmoil and increase infections in response. Most theories of governance suggest that government actors respond to public opinion when making public policy. Therefore, we explore whether the variation in response to this pandemic met public preferences, and if not, whether it led to risky public behaviours.Governments around the world varied in the timing and severity of measures such as national lockdowns, imposing curfews and contact tracing. Surprisingly, strict lockdowns early in this pandemic often led the public to become more supportive of incumbent governments and democratic institutions (Baekgaard et al, 2020; Bol et al, 2020; Reeskens et al, 2020), known as the ‘rally around the flag’ effect. However, after some time, more and more members of the public began acting against government regulations by refusing to wear masks, holding social gatherings or even engaging in mass protests. We question how many of these anti-lockdown behaviours can be explained as a result of policy ack from governments’ initial responses to the pandemic.
The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has made the annual Social Policy Review even more critical than before.This comprehensive volume addresses critical debates throughout the international social policy field over the past year with a key focus on responses to COVID-19 and implications for social policy. Expert contributors address important issues including foodbanks, caring for older family members, lockdowns around the globe, gender, technology and migration during a pandemic.Published in association with the Social Policy Association, this annual review is fundamental reading for students and academics in social policy, social welfare and related disciplines.Published in association with the Social Policy Association, this volume addresses current issues and critical debates throughout the international social policy field with a key focus on migration, the impact of COVID-19 and global policy responses.