The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has once again highlighted the importance of social inequalities during major crises, a reality that has clear implications for public policy. In this introductory article to the thematic issue of Policy and Society on COVID-19, inequalities, and public policies, we provide an overview of the nexus between crisis and inequality before exploring its importance for the study of policy stability and change, with a particular focus on policy design. Here, we stress the persistence of inequalities during major crises before exploring how the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to focus on these inequalities when the time comes to design policies in response to such crises. Paying close attention to the design of these policies is essential for the study of, and fight against, social inequalities in times of crisis. Both during and beyond crises, policy design should emphasize tackling with inequalities. This is the case because current design choices shape future patterns of social inequality.

中文翻译：

---

COVID-19、危机应对和公共政策：从不平等的持续到政策设计的重要性

冠状病毒 (COVID-19) 大流行再次凸显了重大危机期间社会不平等的重要性，这一现实对公共政策具有明显的影响。在这篇关于 COVID-19、不平等和公共政策的政策与社会专题的介绍性文章中，我们先概述了危机与不平等之间的关系，然后再探讨其对政策稳定性和变化研究的重要性，特别是注重政策设计。在这里，我们先强调在重大危机期间不平等的持续存在，然后再探讨 COVID-19 大流行如何强调在设计应对此类危机的政策时需要关注这些不平等。密切关注这些政策的设计对于研究和打击这些政策至关重要 危机时期的社会不平等。在危机期间和危机之后，政策设计都应强调解决不平等问题。之所以如此，是因为当前的设计选择塑造了未来的社会不平等模式。