The COVID-19 pandemic and containment responses have exposed existing social, economic, gender, ethnic and health inequities and are rapidly exacerbating these. The higher risks of infection and mortality recorded for specific population groups can be traced to a legacy of cumulative inequities in the social determinants of health (SDH). Additionally, the necessary COVID-19 response measures applied, while helping to reduce infection and mortality, have placed a disproportionate burden on more disadvantaged populations, widening health inequities. The webinar discusses the impacts of unemployment on health, with a particular focus on mental health. It stresses the importance of developing symbiotic strategies in health and labour sectors for tackling both unemployment and health in the face of pandemics and other crises.