On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) a global pandemic. Within 1 year of this declaration, at least 2.6 million people have reportedly died from COVID-19. During this time, almost all countries implemented some kind of social restrictions (eg, closure of businesses and mask mandates) to mitigate or suppress the transmission of the SARS-Co-2 virus. These nonpharmaceutical interventions helped reduce COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality, but they also significantly impacted the economy. In the past year, pharmaceutical interventions also have become available, which could change the landscape of COVID-19. Multiple COVID-19 treatments are approved for use that can either reduce morbidity or mortality.

Recently, several COVID-19 vaccines have become available that are highly effective in preventing COVID-19 serious disease as well as reducing the spread. Understanding the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these interventions can maximize the benefits of allocating the limited resources available to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

The May issue of Value in Health presents the second themed section on COVID-19. The first themed section was published in November 2020.

Collectively, 11 articles in these 2 sections present important data and information on the cost-effectiveness, affordability, and impact of different COVID-19 interventions that can help further optimize the balance between prevention and treatment for societies around the globe.