Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Social Health Playbook

The global pandemic, COVID-19, is having a major and protracted impact on individuals, families, and communities.In addition to the direct health consequences of the viral pandemic, there are secondary social impacts of anxiety, fear, economic uncertainty, and social isolation, as well.People and communities that historically have been underserved are likely to suffer the greatest from the direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic, and people who previously had no unmet social needs might experience them. Additionally, there are disparities by race and ethnicity for those testing positive for COVID-19, given longstanding systemic and social inequities in the United States. While Kaiser Permanente is appropriately focused on mitigating the viral pandemic, our organization also has a responsibility to ease the indirect social impacts of the pandemic on our members and communities, and to address the conditions that give rise to inequity and racism. As part of our commitment to help shape the future of health in the nation, we have adapted ourSocial Health Playbook to share with others in the field and to deepen the health sector’s commitment to addressing social health.