Countries responded quickly to the economic shock resulting from the outbreak of COVID-19 and associated containment by introducing a package of social and labour market measures to support workers and their families. This response has in many countries included expansions of paid sick leave, which have played a key role in protecting incomes, health and jobs during a health-driven labour market crisis. In a COVID-19 OECD Policy Brief that I coauthored, we discuss policy developments and evidence on the incidence of sick leave during the first three months of the crisis. The brief concludes that paid sick leave can be a particularly effective tool during de-confinement, as part of a rigorous testing, tracking, tracing and isolating strategy.However,this requires a system that covers the entire workforce and with a focus on return to work.Paid sick leave to protect income, health and jobs through the COVID-19 crisis.