State Responses to COVID-19: A Global Snapshot at 1 June 2020

The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected every state and territory on earth, including those where there are as yet no cases of infection. Some states have recorded mass infection and crippling death rates, while others have witnessed much more moderate effects. In some states early intervention, social distancing and restrictions on movement have led to promising signs that infection may be under control, while in other states governments reacted differently and have experienced horrendous social and economic damage. The first part of this collection presents short case studies (snapshots) that detail the situation in a particular state or territory up until 31 May. Cases are drawn from Oceania, Southeast Asia, North Asia, South Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Each state represented in this collection discusses the specific ways in which governmental authorities have attempted to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, including the steps they have taken to slow the spread of infection, and to mitigate the effects of government imposed restrictions on movement and work on their economies. The second part of the collection examines the effects of COVID-19 related policy changes in states for specific vulnerable groups, including domestic violence survivors, undocumented migrant workers, refugees, health care workers, and those trafficked into slavery. This edited collection represents the work of over 50 academic and professional contributors across the world, linked through their research connections to the Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative at Western Sydney University