Women’s vulnerability must be considered in pandemic preparedness and response. We look at the role of UK policymakers in re-establishing the path to a more equal society for men and women in this context and draw comparisons with other countries who are doing well, and who have also fallen shy of the mark. While there have been significant advances in gender equality in the past 30 years, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to undo much of this good work in countries across the globe.