On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 virus a global pandemic. By that time, considerable effects had already been felt in China and subsequently in Europe and the United States of America (USA). In the SADC region, South Africa registered its first COVID-19 case on 5 March 2020 with various other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries subsequently registering cases. However, even before the pandemic had reached the shores of Southern Africa, indications were that the virus would disrupt the lives and livelihoods of citizens and that human rights would also suffer as a consequence. Indeed, as the virus wreaked havoc in Southern Africa, regional governments came up with regulations and interventions that sought to protect citizens from infection, manage the health of those that got infected and address the wider socio-economic and political fallout from the pandemic and measures taken by governments.  Read more on the attachment.